The Denbies Plates: An extremely fine set of twelve George III Dinner Plates made in London in 1810 by Naphtali Hart.

The Plates are circular in form and have a gadrooned rim. Each piece is engraved with a contemporary Armorial surrounded by a cartouche of drapery mantling. The plates are all numbered and are engraved with their original scratch weight on the reverse.

The Armorial is that of William Joseph Denison of Denbies co. Surrey 1770-1849. He was M.P. for co. Surrey, magistrate for both the counties of Surrey and Yorkshire and was High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1818.

William Denison's father, a close and miserly man, was born in West Yorkshire and came to London and made perhaps the largest fortune of the time in the City. Joseph Denison succeeded to his father's large estates in both Surrey and Yorkshire, which he increased vastly.

At the time of his death, unmarried in 1849, he left an estate valued in excess of £ 2.3 million, one of the largest ever recorded in England. He left estates to his nephew, Lord Arthur Conyngham, the 2nd son of the Marquis of Conyngham, who was subsequently created Lord Londesborough in 1850.

The plates are in excellent condition, are very well marked and have a good colour. Naphtali Hart had workshops in King Street, Finsbury Square, when these plates were made. He had a reputation for quality of design and production, which is shown with these plates. 

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance