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  IRONSTONE PLATE WITH "VOTES FOR WOMEN" TEXT, MADE JOHN MADDOCK & SONS FOR SUFFRAGIST AVA BELMONT FOR MARBLE HOUSE, HER FAMOUS ESTATE IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, CA 1914

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 10.25" x 10.25"
Flag Size (H x L): 6.25" diameter
Description....:
Unlike the English, American suffragists produced very little in the way of porcelain or stoneware. The most celebrated of all American suffrage dinnerware consists of a service commissioned by Alva Belmont, prominent Newport, Rhode Island, socialite and founder of a pro-suffrage group called the "Political Equality Association." According to Suffrage memorabilia expert Ken Folley, "There are at least eight different examples known in this design, including a cup and saucer, a lunch or dinner plate, a salad or bread plate, a berry bowl, a soup bowl, a celery dish and a small creamer."* Some of these pieces were ordered by Belmont for events at Marble House beginning in 1909 and continuing through at least 1914. Others--the creamer in particular--are known to have been sold for fundraising efforts and were made available by Belmont for purchase at the lunchroom at the Political Equality Association headquarters in New York City.

The 1909 china appears to have been ordered from the English producer Minton, a well-known maker of ironstone china. More appears to have been ordered for use when Belmont hosted the Council of Great Women Conference in 1914 at Marble House, this time from another prolific English ironstone manufacture, John Maddock & Sons. It was at this time that she also opened a China tea house on the grounds of her estate and celebrated the return of her daughter, Consuelo, from the U.K..

This example of the salad or bread plate was made by Maddock and is so marked on the reverse. Reproductions of the various pieces abound, made afterwards and not by Minton or Maddock, and are even available today. Originals are rare. This particular plate was acquired some time ago by a friend of mine from Folley's own collection.

Mounting: The plate was mounted in an archival fashion and placed in a black-painted and hand-gilded Italian molding. A shadow box was created to accommodate the depth of the object. The glass is conservation clear museum glass.

Condition: There is a firing defect on the edge, above the word "for," in the form of a curved crevice. There is an edge fleck along the rim at approximately the 3:00 position. There is a light, Y-shaped hairline in the center. These things don't effect value on a piece of Suffrage memorabilia like they would if this were an average piece of ironstone. The rarity well-warrants the condition.

* Folley, Keneth, "Women’s Suffrage Memorabilia, An Illustrated Historical Study," (2013, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina), p. 68-71.
Collector Level: Intermediate-Level Collectors and Special Gifts
Flag Type:
Star Count:
Earliest Date of Origin: 1914
Latest Date of Origin: 1914
State/Affiliation: Rhode Island
War Association:
Price: SOLD
 

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