Society of the Cincinnati 'Fame' Plate, ca. 1785, Elinor Gordon Collection

An exceptionally rare and historically significant late 18th-century Chinese export porcelain plate from the 'Society of the Cincinnati' service. Featuring the iconic figure of Fame and the Cincinnati eagle, this piece is a primary artifact of the American Republic's founding years, with impeccable provenance from the Elinor Gordon collection.

Society of the Cincinnati 'Fame' Porcelain Plate

Scalloped rim dinner plate

Hard-paste porcelain

Excellent

Underglaze blue borders with overglaze enamel Society of the Cincinnati iconography

A circular porcelain plate with a scalloped (lobed) rim. The decoration features a sophisticated underglaze cobalt blue 'cell' border. The center depicts the winged figure of Fame blowing a trumpet, from which hangs the Order of the Society of the Cincinnati—a gold eagle suspended from a blue and white ribbon. The execution is of the highest quality intended for the founding officers of the Continental Army.

• •Obverse showing central 'Fame' motif with Cincinnati eagle and scalloped rim
• •Reverse showing unglazed foot rim, red inventory number 22.1974.501, and Elinor Gordon label

• •Minor kiln grit on the reverse
• •Slight shelf wear to the unglazed foot rim
• •Minimal rubbing to the overglaze enamels
• •Small, period-appropriate firing pinholes in the glaze

This specific service is well-documented to have been brought to America by Samuel Shaw, the first American consul at Canton, in 1785.

Qianlong period, circa 1784–1785

• •Specific iconography of the Society of the Cincinnati eagle crest
• •Scalloped rim form and cell-pattern border consistent with mid-1780s export wares
• •Documented arrival of the service in the United States via the 'Empress of China' or 'Pallas'
• •Presence of iron-red oxidation on the unglazed foot rim

This plate is part of the most famous service in American history, identical to pieces owned by George Washington and Henry Knox.

• •None detected; the piece exhibits all hallmarks of the original 1780s commission

While modern reproductions of the Cincinnati service exist (notably by Mottahedeh), they lack the underglaze blue depth, the specific 'heaping and piling' of the cobalt, and the characteristic 18th-century porcelain body and glaze tint.

The red inventory number '22.1974.501' and the Elinor Gordon label provide a definitive link to the 2010 Sotheby's sale of Gordon's private collection, where an identical plate was sold as Lot 70.

• •Hand-painted underglaze blue shows characteristic 18th-century texture
• •Enamel palette and execution of the 'Fame' figure match known museum examples
• •Unglazed foot rim shows natural aging and correct clay body texture
• •Prestigious provenance label from Elinor Gordon, the preeminent expert in the field

The Society of the Cincinnati was founded in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army to preserve the ideals of the American Revolution. This porcelain service was commissioned in China specifically for the Society's members, representing the first direct trade between the new United States and China.

The service is most famously associated with George Washington, who purchased a large set for his use at Mount Vernon. It remains the most coveted pattern in the field of Chinese Export porcelain for the American market.

Ownership of a Cincinnati plate with Elinor Gordon provenance places this item in the highest tier of American decorative arts collecting. It is considered a 'holy grail' for collectors of Federalist-era artifacts.

Valuation is based on recent auction records for identical plates from the same service. Market volatility for high-end Americana can affect final results.

• •Extreme rarity and historical importance of the Society of the Cincinnati service
• •Exceptional condition with minimal enamel wear
• •Gold-standard provenance (Elinor Gordon Collection)
• •High demand for artifacts related to the founding of the United States

• •Christie's New York, 2013: Identical plate sold for $98,500
• •Christie's New York, 2014: Identical plate sold for $87,500
• •Sotheby's New York, 2010 (Elinor Gordon Collection): Identical plate sold for $83,500
• •Christie's New York, 2006 (Mrs. J. Insley Blair Collection): Identical plate sold for $96,000

• •Secure the item in a climate-controlled environment with high-level security
• •Update insurance coverage to reflect the revised valuation of $80,000-$100,000
• •Retain all physical labels and documentation as they are integral to the item's value

• •Professional conservation cleaning only if necessary
• •Avoid all contact with metal or abrasive surfaces
• •Display in a UV-filtered case to prevent any potential long-term enamel degradation

A museum-quality masterpiece of Chinese Export porcelain and a vital artifact of American history, boasting the finest possible provenance.

• •Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
• •Sotheby's American Decorative Arts Department
• •The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association