comprising, circa 1755, mug with arms of Wilson depicting shield with iron red chevron amongst three iron red stars, black crescent, surmounted with helmet, further surmounted with orange tree, to bottom motto "Virtus Sibi Praemium", also decorated with flowers, butterflies and birds, gilt chain link border, 5-1/2 in.; circa 1755, mug with arms of Farquhar, centered with gray lion rampant amongst three hands, surmounted with a hand, flanked by roses, above the motto "Sto cado fide et armis", the mug with with further foliate sprays, gilt fleur de lis border, partial gilt dragon form handle, 4-3/4 in.

Note: Wilson: "This Wilson family came originally from Orkney, but settled in the Lowlands of Scotland at Cleugh, where John Wilson, with his younger brother William (whose service this was), created Wilson Town, Lanarkshire. The service was made for William Wilson of Wilson Town and Loudwater, Hertfordshire, who died in 1817, and who had another service made about a decade later. He married Mary, daughter of William Etherington of Lincolnshire (whose elder daughter married John Wilson) and left three sons, of whose children Canute Wilson lived in Jamaica and William was of Fitzroy Harbour in Upper Canada."

Chinese Armorial Porcelain Volume I, David S. Howard, Faber & Faber, 31 May 1974, p. 555.

Farquhar: "These are the arms of Farquhar of Gilmilnscroft in Co. Ayr, the family descending from Robert Farquhar, Laird of Gilmilnscroft in the 14th Century. James Farquhar succeeded to Gilmilnscroft in 1698 and married Jean, daughter of William Porterfield of that Ilk, and (their eldest son predeceasing them) was succeeded by Alexander, for whom this service was undoubtedly made.

Alexander Farquhar married three times: firstly to Agnes Campbell of Whitehaugh, secondly Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Wilson of Barmuir, the Provost of Ayr, and thirdly to Jean Cunninhame of Polquharne, but by his second wife had an only child, Jane. She married in 1777 John Gray of Kilmerderry, having six sons and a daughter, and died in 1809. Her eldest son, James Gray-Farquhar, succeeded to Gilmilnscroft."

Illustrated Chinese Armorial Porcelain Volume II, David S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard, Ltd., Wiltshire, UK, 2003, p. 347.

Provenance: Wilson mug, Heirloom & Howard, Ltd., UK, October 2010l Christopher M. Weld, Essex, Massachusetts

Farquhar: some discoloration, spotting, scratching, anomalies (as made), wear to paint and gilt decoration, accretion, blacklight fluoresces near head of dragon handle indicating in-painting; Wilson: some discoloration, spotting, scratching, anomalies (as made), wear to paint and gilt decoration, accretion, blacklight fluoresces at repair to each end of handle, and at thumb rest with restoration, hairline crack to rim with repair