A CHINESE EXPORT ARMORIAL PLATE, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD, CIRCA 1743 | 清乾隆 約1743年 粉彩紋章圖盤

Elaborately decorated, the Leake Okeover service is considered one of the greatest examples of Chinese export armorial services. The opulent service was made for Leake Okeover (1702-65), who married his wife Mary Nichol about 1730, but who died without heirs. His estate was passed on to his cousin, whose descendant, Sir Ian Walker-Okeover, Bt. sold around a hundred pieces of the service in March 1975. The original painted design for the arms is the only recorded example for a complete armorial service known to survive, and still remains with the family. Illustrated in David S. Howard, A Tale of Three Cities: Canton, Shanghai and Hong Kong, London, 1997, p. 57, cat nos. 53 (original pattern) and 54 (an example from the service). A collection of sixteen examples of various size from the service, from the collection of James F. Scott, were sold in these rooms, October 15, 2018, lots 223-232. A soup plate from this service was sold in these rooms, January 17th-20th, 2019, lot 143. A further plate from a distinguished American collection, was sold in these rooms, February 2nd, 2019, lot 736.