Teabowls & saucers, Qianlong c.1740-50, with the arms of Calverley
Two services were made c.1740-50 with the arms of Calverley of The Broad in Hellingly on the Sussex Weald, and of Ewell in Surrey. The first service was decorated with the shield over the motto ’Ex Caligine Veritas’ [Truth out of obscurity] and comprised a tea set - of which these are the teabowls and saucers.
The second service, of which only a guglet, punch bowl and tankard, all drinking wares, are known, was painted with a more elaborate armorial surrounded by heraldic mantling while the motto scroll remains empty. See stock numbers 44127, 44128 and 44129 for the guglet, bowl and tankard respectively.
The Broad estate on the East Sussex Weald was purchased in 1630 by Edmund Calverley, descendant of a Yorkshire family, to which estate were later added a number of manors in Sussex and Surrey.
The tea service and separate guglet, tankard and punch bowl were almost certainly commissioned by Edmund’s grandson, Thomas Calverley who was born about 1698. He married first Mary Bird and had a daughter Elizabeth, and secondly Hannah, daughter of Peter Gegondee of London, and was succeeded by his only son, also Thomas Calverley. The finely painted arms, crest and motto are exactly as recorded for this family.
Reference : Chinese Armorial Porcelain, Volume I, p.795.
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