Box,140 counters and porcelain for PRESCOTT impaling TULLY

Box,140 counters and porcelain for PRESCOTT impaling TULLY

Code: BOX 103

Dimensions:

W: 26cm (10.2")H: 6cm (2.4")L: 29cm (11.4")

£3,750.00 inc. postage
Qty 

This is a very special and rather complex item. The armorial box and counters show the arms of PRESCOTT impaling TULLY and the counters were made circa 1810. The armorial box is not in the best of conditions with wear and slight damage to the lid - though, as is often the case,  the five armorial interior boxes are in perfect condition. The boxes contain 140 matching armorial counters! 140 is usually the magic and incredibly rare total for a full set of counters. BUT there would be 80, 40 and 20 counters in an original full set: here there are ( most frustratingly) 81 long, 39 round counters and 20 oval. I suspect that the original full sets of 140 counters from Canton actually had one spare of each shape - so it actually comprised 143 counters. I cannot prove this as surviving full sets are incredibly rare: I have only ever handled one full set of 140 in the original numbers. The counters were made circa 1810 with drilled border and diaper reverse. And I am offering with the box and counters an original Chinese armorial plate with the matching arms for Prescott impaling Tully.  A plate from this service is described by David Howard on page 545 of Chinese Armorial Porcelain, volume II and he states that the porcelain was probably made for Sir George Prescott, Baronet of Theobald's Park. This is a rather complex and important item in my view!