Pair of Chinese Export 1740 Hanbury Armorial Dinner Plates

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On offer are two authentic Chinese export armorial porcelain plates dating to circa 1735, making the earlier "circa 1740" label … Read more On offer are two authentic Chinese export armorial porcelain plates dating to circa 1735, making the earlier "circa 1740" label on the back highly accurate. It dates to the late Yongzheng period (1678–1735) of the Qing Dynasty, right around 1735.
This specific 9-inch service was commissioned by John Hanbury (1700–1758), a highly prominent and wealthy London merchant; it features the Hanbury coat of arms with Comyn in pretence.

PRODUCTION: This service was entirely potted and fired in the imperial kiln city of Jingdezhen, China, and hand-enameled by artisans in Canton (Guangzhou) specifically for export to England.

DECORATION: It features intricate overglaze enameling and heavy, rich gilding. The wide border depicts an elaborate fruiting grapevine pattern, which was a highly luxurious and expensive design choice at the time.

COAT OF ARMS: The main shield—the large, stylized gold shield with a diagonal band—represents the core Hanbury family armorial design, described as "Or a bend engrailed vert".
"In Pretence" (Comyn) refers to the smaller white shield placed directly in the center. This is an escutcheon of pretence representing the Comyn family. In heraldry, this signifies that a Hanbury gentleman married a Comyn woman who was an heiress (carrying her family's lineage and estates forward), allowing him to display her family's arms over his own.
A demi-lion rampant holds a battle-axe aloft at the very top of the shield.

THE HANBURY FAMILY: The aforementioned John Hanbury was famously known as a major "Virginia Merchant," controlling a massive transatlantic tobacco trading empire. The British Crown granted him considerable tracts of land across Maryland and Virginia. He was also a major investor and director in the historic Ohio Company and the South Sea Company.
However, as a prominent member of the Quaker community, Hanbury drew intense scrutiny and animosity from his peers because his vast American tobacco plantations were operated using enslaved labor, conflicting directly with growing Quaker abolitionist values.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: This exact service is formally documented in the definitive reference book “Chinese Armorial Porcelain” (Volume I) by David Sanctuary Howard on page 265.
While one of this pair is in perfect condition, there is a rim repair on the other, visible verso (photo #13). It has been filled and overpainted. Despite this chip, the plate belongs to a documented, prestigious early service.

Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent, provided identification verso (photos #7, 14). See less