Chinese Export Porcelain Armorial Dish, Arms Hutchinson Impaling Calthrop

Details

Description

The Hutchinson & Calthrop Armorial Porcelain Platter
Circa 1755

This Chinese Export porcelain platter, dating to the Qianlong period, circa … Read more The Hutchinson & Calthrop Armorial Porcelain Platter
Circa 1755

This Chinese Export porcelain platter, dating to the Qianlong period, circa 1755, is painted in vibrant famille rose enamels and gold, the center of the platter is proudly decorated with the coat of arms of Hutchinson impaling Calthrop.

Beneath the heraldic crest, a flowing ribbon displays the Latin family motto, "Perge et Valeas," which translates to "Proceed and prosper". The central armorial design is beautifully framed within the well by a delicate rouge de fer and gold chain border, while the wide rim is decorated with scattered, hand-painted floral sprays. This piece stands as a sophisticated example of the personalized luxury goods commissioned by elite families during the peak of the 18th-century maritime trade.

Dimensions
16 3/8 inches (41.6 cm) Length
13 inches (33.0 cm) Width
1 5/8 inches (4.1 cm) Depth

Condition Report
The platter is in excellent antique condition, with the vibrant famille rose enamels and gold gilding remaining remarkably well-preserved and crisp. There is a mark, probably from the manufacture at eight o'clock on the body of the dish.

Provenance
H. Moog Fine Porcelains, Atlanta, Georgia (Henry B. Moog, 1938–2012).
Property from a North Shore, Massachusetts Collection.

Reference: Chinese Armorial Porcelain, David Sanctuary Howard, Vol 1, Page 547 for an identical dish and discussion of the family and the arms.

Historical Context

The Hutchinson family of Whitton House in County Durham purchased their estate in 1700. The lineage includes Henry Hutchinson of Whitton, born 1706, who married Mary Scurfield in 1728 and had four sons. The family maintained deep, direct ties to the China trade; Captain William Hutchinson served as the master of the East Indiaman ship "Sutherland" at Canton in 1728 and the "Godolphin" in 1756. According to scholar David Sanctuary Howard, this specific service was likely made for a Captain Nort. Hutchinson—possibly William's son—who was in Canton as master of the "Caernarvon" in 1757 and 1760.

Beyond maritime commerce, this service carries significant American historical weight. Bingham Hutchinson, a descendant of William Hutchinson, emigrated to America in 1633 and became a founding citizen of Boston, Massachusetts. The family held prominent political office in Boston until the American Revolution, when Governor Thomas Hutchinson lost his estates and returned to England as a Loyalist. Consequently, this platter represents a physical link between the provincial gentry of Northern England, the bustling trade ports of Canton, and the political elite of colonial America.

(Ref: NY11083-icrk) See less