A dessert service of which this centre-dish forms a part was shown by Herbert Minton, & Co. at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851 (See Art-Journal Illustrated Catalogue, p. 114) where it was admired by Queen Victoria and purchased as a gift for Emperor Francis Joseph I of Austro-Hungary; the Queen commissioned from Minton a duplicate service, known as the Victoria Service which is now housed at Windsor Castle; the Minton display was at the forefront of the 1851 Exhibition, which proved to be a great success for the factory and enhanced their world-wide prestige and repute seen during subsequent international exhibitons; it is likely that this centre-dish was commissioned from the factory shortly after the Crystal Palace Exhibition