Chinese export porcelain plates, circa 1800.
 
Dimensions: 7⅝” diameter.
 
Decoration:  
The border is decorated with a floral band heightened with a gold wash.
 
The center is decorated with the arms of New York State depicting the figures of Liberty and Justice flanking a cartouche with a floral sprig.
 
Above the cartouche is the image of an eagle holding an olive branch standing atop a globe. Below the cartouche are a pair of national shields, and below them is a banner bearing the New York State motto “Excelsior”.
 
Surrounding this decoration is a blue husk chain.
 
The reverse is undecorated.
 
David Howard discusses this pattern and its many variations in Howard, “New York and the China Trade”, at pages 87 - 94. While collectors and authors describe this decoration as the arms of New York State, Howard notes that the cartouche omits an element of the actual arms replacing it with a gilt spray, as here, or initials. Consequently, he refers to this pattern as “Pseudo Arms of New York State”.
 
A very similar example is illustrated and discussed on page 92. Howard describes it as one of the best examples of this pattern.
 
This pattern is also discussed in Mudge, “Chinese Export Porcelain for the American Trade” 2d Ed., at page 172; Schiffer, “China for America”, at pages 40-42; and Howard, “Chinese Armorial Porcelain” V.1, at page 753.
 
Condition: In excellent condition consistent with age and usage.