Fishmongers’ Guild Armorial Plate

This octagonal Chinese export porcelain plate was made nearly 250 years ago during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty. At the time, powerful London guilds still operated under medieval style structures and commissioned luxury porcelain through East India Company trade routes ⚓️

It was created for the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, one of the oldest and most influential trade guilds in London. A fishmonger was not just a market seller. In the 1700s, they were licensed merchants who regulated and controlled the sale of fish along the Thames. The guild held royal charters dating back to the 1200s and hosted formal banquets using commissioned porcelain like this.

At the center is their full heraldic crest: a shield with fish and crossed keys, flanked by a mermaid and merman, topped with knightly plumes, and bearing the motto: “All Worship Be To God Only” 

Painted in famille rose enamels around 1770 to 1775 in Canton, this is a textbook example of Qianlong period armorial porcelain. The octagonal shape, floral rim, and bold imagery were designed for ceremonial use at Fishmongers’ Hall and remain highly collectible today.

Comparable examples from this same service are priced between 800 and 1200 through private porcelain dealers (not from Charish, 1stDibs, or Christie’s). This one has surface staining and a small hairline but no visible restoration. The crest remains vivid and complete.