Serving Plate 1862 - 1904

This porcelain tea set was made by Brown, Westhead, Moore and Company. The delicate blue bows and tassels circling each piece carry with them echoes of a much grander past. Think back to the elaborate festoons adorning Roman temples, or the draped fabrics in Renaissance portraits. These motifs originally spoke of power, celebration, and abundance. They appeared in triumphal arches, in royal emblems. Here, they have softened, becoming domestic. The bow, once a symbol of strength, now suggests a gentle tie, a connection. Observe how the tassel, too, has been transformed. From the heavy fringes on royal robes to this light, playful adornment. This evolution speaks to a universal process: symbols migrate, adapt, and resurface in altered forms, carrying fragments of memory with them. The subconscious mind recognizes in these humble decorations a whisper of past grandeur, a comforting echo across time.