Flight Worcester armorial plate, Baron Summerville, c.1795

23cm

An interesting part service with this motto & a central armorial was sold Christies NY 2001 Lot 226 / Sale 9594 . They trace it's history back to F. Partridge, Ltd., London, who apparently in the early 1980's sold it to President and Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos. Fast-forward through history, and after the fall of the Marcos dynasty, it was sold in New York in 1988 on behalf of " the Republic of the Philippines", sold as "Property of the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Commission on Good Government".This armorial service bears the combined arms of Somerville & his new wife, Mary Anne of Dublin. This allows us to date it to their wedding, post-October, 1801. Our example here is slightly earlier, being a shanked form typical of the Flight Worcester days, circa 1795. This is therefore the Baron's 'eligible bachelor' service, while the more showy example that attracted the Marcos's was the 'married' service!