The Commissioning Patrons for Armorial British Porcelain

This chapter considers the commissioning patrons for British armorial porcelain. It discusses the social changes in England during the seventeenth century, and the role of the livery companies. The earliest known armorial English porcelain commissions are discussed: many of which carried livery company armorials. The earliest family armorial commissions are reviewed, and the commissioning patron is identified where possible. The first armorial English hard paste porcelain armorials of William Cookworthy and Richard Champion are reviewed, along with a representative selection of armorial porcelain commissions from different porcelain manufactories.