A fine antique Dutch Delft dated marriage plate 1776 Start Price GBP 600.00 Current Price GBP 600.00 Time Left - Bid Count 1 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, October 10, 2008 End Time Friday, October 17, 2008 Location Bruges See more about 'A fine antique Dutch Delft dated marriage plate 1776' Description rabamba store A fine antique Dutch Delft dated marriage plate 1776 Search Here's a very fine Dutch Delft dated marriage plate. This is really one of the finest of its kind.It features an unusual decoration with a central heart surrounded by the hands of the wedding couple, topped with a crown. The latter could be an indication of royal or noble family ties.The plate is in superb condition. Apart from a few minor edge flakes, completely normal for antique Delftware, it is in absolute pristine condition. The glaze is shiny and smooth, the blue is as blue as the potters could make it and there are no restorations at all. It measures 22,7 cm across.What makes it so special, is that it's signed at the back. Delftware that is both signed and dated is very unusual. It allows researchers to attribute this exact signature to the period indicated on the piece. Only few dated pieces with signatures are known, and this one is one of them. The signature refers to the "De Porceleyne Byl" (The Porcelain Axe) factory, established in 1657 and active until 1803. From 1739 until 1775, the factory was run by Justus Brouwer. After his death in 1775, it was his widow, Christina van Oorden, who ran the factory.In the collection of Gemeentemuseum Den Haag there is one other dated and signed plate from this factory. It shows the image of the young prince William V and is dated 1760. This makes this plate quite exceptional, since there are no references in specialised literature to dated and signed pieces attributed to Christina van Oorden.Source: Delftware, History of a National Product, part 2This plate makes a superb addition to any collection of Delftware, and a fine, certain investment in these days of financial uncertainty! It does not at all compare to regular marriage plates which tend to be raw and unrefined. The plate was certainly made as a custom order for a rich family. The text reads as follows:Dirk Sijmons De Ronck Jonkmans met Aagje Klaas Haaremaker Jonge Dogter Getreeden In Den Huwelijk op Den 25ste van Oogst maand des Jaars Onzes Heeren 1776.This translates to:Dirk Sijmons De Ronck Jonkmans with Aagje Klaas Haaremaker Jonge Dogter Joined In Marriage on The 25th of Harvest month in the Year of Our Lord 1776.Oogstmaand or harvest month is august.  The plate bears an old store collection tag at the back. This indicates that the plate was sold at the Hannover antiques store of Erich Beckmann, a store founded in 1835 and still in business today. The label looks as if it was attached between 1930 and 1950.Any questions, please inquire! I accept both Paypal and bank transfers.Please find the exact shipping costs based on your location at the bottom. Secure, professional packaging is included, no hidden fees whatsoever. Place a Bid!