Souvenir plate decorated with scenes from The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan. Bone china decorated with a pattern by Ian Fowler, made by Caverswall China Co. Ltd., number 722 in a limited edition of 25,000

Bone china plate decorated with five scenes from Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado, one in the centre representing the Three Little Maids, and four around the rim entitled with the lyrics from the opera: 'Deck the maiden fair in her loveliness; 'Come gather round and I'll tell you'; 'Here Nanki-Poo I've good news for you'; 'From every kind of man obedience I expect', as well as two motifs of the electric light sconces at the Savoy Theatre, a comedy mask in a lyre with the initials G&A, and the name of the opera on a banner over musical instruments within a roundel. Text printed on the reverse notes the opera the plate represents, when it was first performed, the name of the manufacturer, and details of the limited edition of 25,000, of which this is number 722

722

Bequeathed by Peter Parker

This plate would have been acquired by Peter Parker, who bequeathed to the museum, for his D'Oyly Carte collection that augmented the collection he inherited from his father Stanley Parker who was employed by the Savoy Hotel as a junior clerk in May 1909, straight from school. From that job, on the death of Helen D'Oyly Carte in 1913, he was chosen by Rupert D'Oyly Carte to understudy Mr George A. Richardson who managed the theatre from November 1911 to February 1915.

In 1913 Stanley Parker became Rupert D'Oyly Carte's private scretary, and later Bridget D'Oyly Carte's private secretary, also secretary of both the Savoy Theatre Ltd., and the Opera Company. He worked for the company until his death in 1960. Peter Parker, who died in 2018, continued his father's lifelong interest in the D'Oyly Carte family and the D'Oyly Carte and became president of the London Gilbert & Sullivan Society and a committee member of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Sussex.

This was produced in a limited edition of 25,000 of which this is number 364. It was one of a set of three limited edition plates decorated with scenes from Gilbert & Sullivan operas, the others of The Yeomen of the Guard and The Pirates of Penzance.

This plate is one of a limited edition of 25,000 made by Caverswall China Limited, a company based in Stoke-on-Trent that produced bone china since its inception in 1973. Caverswall English China was granted its first Royal Warrant as a Fine Bone China Manufacturer by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2008. Halcyon Days acquired the company as a sister brand in 2015.

The designs are the artist's idea of scenes and characters from The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan and are not related to any production. The Mikado first appeared at the Savoy Theatre on the 14th March 1885, produced by Richard D'Oyly Carte, and it was arguably Gilbert and Sullivan's most successful and best-loved opera. The characters shown on the plate include the Three Little Maids Yum-Yum, Petti-Sing and Peep-Bo, The Mikado and Nanki-Poo.

S.1080-2021