This plate was probably designed or made for Prince Albert, circa 1842-45. His full arms are depicted at the top of the plate, while the border features intricate royal insignia including the arms of England, Wales and Scotland, flowers of the Union and Garter badges containing the Rose, the Thistle, shamrock and the Prince of Wales plumes. The centre of the plate shows George and the Dragon in gilding within a laurel wreath.An original design for this plate survives among Prints and Drawings at the Victoria and Albert Museum (ref. E.5901-1910). The registers indicate it was one of a miscellaneous group of 236 drawings and engravings given by Henry Cole’s son Alan, which included designs by Henry Cole, Richard Redgrave and Godfrey Sykes. This particular design shows a pattern of gilt stars in the cavetto instead of the Sèvres-pattern gold scrollwork seen on the plate at Bonhams. It is likely the drawing and this specimen plate played part of the design process for a proposed service commissioned by or intended for Prince Albert. Prince Albert had a close relationship with Herbert Minton, to whom he was introduced by Henry Cole himself. Although the exact circumstances around the design and the production of the sample plate are not clear at the moment, its association with Prince Albert, Henry Cole and Minton make it a very interesting addition to our collections.