QIANLONG PERIOD, CIRCA 1745

This dish formed part of a dinner service made for Sir George Cooke, of London, who married Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Twysden. For the arms, see David S. Howard, Chinese Armorial Porcelain, London, 1974, p. 325, where an example from the same service is illustrated but with a further cartouche of the Pearl River in place of the crest. Mr. Howard says that both versions were included within the service. See also ibid., p. 49, where the author explains that 'Fort St. George was the pride of the East India Company in India and was a usual port of call between Plymouth and Canton'.