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Printing plate
copper plate Menu Card

Object number

LDSAL2022.2.41

Artist/Designer/Maker

Unknown artist
Legros, Alphonse - Engraver
Guéraut, Robert - Printer

Production date

1880s

Material

copper

Technique

Etching
drypoint

Dimensions

height: 127mm
width: 178mm

Location

Burlington House - RUB D

Content description

Printing plate of a menu card with a castle and a coat of arms; traces of lettering visible on the reverse.

Inscriptions

Inscription content

4 Great Stanhope Street
Diner du_____188__
Potages___
Poissons___
Entrées___
Releués___
Rots___
Entremets___

Inscription content

Planche tirée à 40 Epreuves
dont 6 avec les initiales
R. Gueraut, Impr. Decbre 1882"

Inscription date

1882

References

Reference (controlled)

Betti, Chiara. “Lost Treasures Resurface: The Untold Story of the Society of Antiquaries’ Printing Plates.” The Antiquaries Journal 104 (2024): 304–42. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003581524000179.
    Printing plate of a menu card with a castle and a coat of arms; traces of lettering visible on reverse.
    The coat of arms is that of the Montefiore family (a capital M can be seen next to the castle), who lived at 4 Great Stanhope Street in the 19th century. The arms are a cedar tree between mounts of flowers proper, a dagger erect proper, between two mullets of six points gold.
    The castle might represent the East Cliff Villa, purchased by Moses Montefiore in 1831.

    The reverse of the copper plate, though quite damaged, shows the lettering of the previous design. The copper plate originally belonged to Alphonse Legros, and it depicted "Le brûleur d'herbes" (The herb burner). The plate was cancelled (the British Museum has an impression with cancellation marks) and, presumably, sold by Legros's heirs after his death.

    Digitised thanks to the kind donation of Dr Michael Hall FSA.