Sauce tureen & stand, c.1775, arms of Prescott impaling Long
A sauce tureen, cover and 8 inch stand, Qianlong c.1775, made for George William Prescott of Theobalds Park, Hertfordshire, who married in 1774 Sarah Long, daughter of Beeston Long of Carshalton Park (grandson of Samuel Long who accompanied William Penn to Jamaica, after whom the settlement of Longville was named). This was almost certainly ordered for their wedding. George William Prescott was created a baronet in 1794.
George William’s father, George Prescott, had been sent to Italy for his education and later engaged in trade there, eventually starting a banking house in 1766 with Andrew Grote, a merchant from Bremen. His obituary noted that ’it has been said that the house of Prescott and Grote turned fifty millions annually’.
Three armorial services were made at this time with this unique European border pattern, possibly copying an ironwork design, all for the three senior partners in the London banking firm which by 1775 was run by the second generation and had become Prescott, Grote, Culverden & Hollingworth of Threadneedle Street in the City of London.
With Elinor Gordon collection label.
Reference : Howard, David S.; Chinese Armorial Porcelain, Volume I, p. 603
Condition : Tiny glaze flake, otherwise in excellent condition
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