CIRCA 1793

Details

AN EXPORT ARMORIAL SOUP-PLATE FOR THE MEXICAN MARKET
CIRCA 1793
Decorated copying a Mexican medal insribed and dated 1790, with a central roundel enamelled in the famille rose palette depicting two figures and a castle, encircled by a crown and wreath, the well and border decorated in blue enamel and gilt with linked florets below a wavy line suspending floral sprigs and a blue narrow band at the shaped rim
9 in. (22.8 cm) diam.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The design at the centre of this plate represents the coat-of-arms for the city of Los Angeles (today called Puebla) in Mexico, and was taken from the reverse of a Proclamation Medal designed by the Spanish engraver, Gerónimo Antonio Gil, and ordered by the city in 1790. Proclamation medals were ordered in Mexico as souvenirs to commemorate the accession of Charles IV (or IIII) to the throne of Spain. His official proclamation took place on 17 January 1789. Gil was appointed Chief Engraver of the Mexico City Mint, and between 1789 and 1791 more than twenty-five Proclamation Medals were struck, some of which found their way to China in circa 1792 to be copied in Canton onto Chinese export services. See Antonio Diez de Rivera, 'Proclamation Medals and Related Chinese Export Services in the Reign of Charles IV of Spain', Oriental Art, vol. LV, no. 3, and fig. 1 for the reverse of the Proclamation Medal, and fig. 1a for a Chinese porcelain plate,

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