Soup plate, East India Company, 1780 (c)

Porcelain, Canton ware (Chien-Lung period), 1736-1796.

This porcelain dish depicts the arms of the East India Company. It was probably made in China. Porcelain was originally imported into Britain simply to pack around tea cargoes. It was a good thing to transport, adding ballast to the Company's ships without tainting the valuable tea cargoes. In 1713 alone the Company brought more than 517,000 pieces to London.