« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Martha Washington Plate  (Read 2790 times)

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Martha Washington Plate
« on: September 12, 2016, 07:15:47 am »
From her tea service sold for 244k, dang, that is a bunch for a single plate. At least it's going back to Mount Vernon, where it belongs.
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/lady-washington-plate-soars/5911
Logged

mart

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19849
  • Karma: +122/-1
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2016, 07:43:59 am »
Interesting,, but whats with the snake biting its tail ??
Logged

ghopper1924

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3316
  • Karma: +136/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2016, 07:44:49 am »
Wow, 5-10 the estimate? Glad to see it's going "home."
Logged
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2016, 10:25:13 am »
Glad to see it's going "home."

Yeah, me too. Mount Vernon is owned, operated & run by the "Mount Vernon Ladies Assoc." They have never accepted any government money and they are the oldest preservation society in America. When it comes to Mount Vernon, whatever the "ladies" want, they usually get! They are smart to exclude govt money, they will have it their way! end of story!
« Last Edit: September 12, 2016, 10:31:57 am by jacon4 »
Logged

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2016, 10:59:32 am »
Quote from: mart on September 12, 2016, 07:43:59 am
Interesting,, but whats with the snake biting its tail ??

I wanna know also.
Logged

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2016, 11:07:50 am »
not a clue
Logged

ghopper1924

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3316
  • Karma: +136/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2016, 11:34:37 am »
The snake biting/eating itself is called Ouroboros, the concept of which dates back to ancient Greece. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity, and represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth that leads to immortality.
Logged
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

KC

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11660
  • Karma: +93/-0
  • Forever Blessed!
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2016, 12:31:09 pm »
ghopper1924 got that right!  You will also see back in history that it can be either a snake or a dragon.  It has been consistently used in Chinese works for thousands of years - mostly with religion and chemistry!  There has been a resurgence of the current generation using it in art and tattoos.

Here is a site that will tell you MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER WANT TO KNOW about the earliest origins in Egypt to its use in countries all over the world for thousands of years. 

http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html
Logged
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2016, 12:56:08 pm »
lol, ok, who cares about all that, the important thing is, the "ladies" at Mount Vernon have decided to bring the plate home! I note that in the article, collectors as well as institutions went after that plate, it really did not matter because once the ladies had decided, it was going back to Virginia, end of story!

http://www.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/
« Last Edit: September 12, 2016, 01:04:59 pm by jacon4 »
Logged

ghopper1924

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3316
  • Karma: +136/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2016, 02:26:37 pm »
The same thing happened to Jefferson's Monticello. Amazing to see the old photos of decrepitude.

Anyway, I'm glad the Mt. Vernon ladies have plenty of $ to buy plates, even when they depict cannibalistic snakes.
Logged
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

KC

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11660
  • Karma: +93/-0
  • Forever Blessed!
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2016, 03:00:49 pm »
Those ladies are amazing.  My sis-n-law was involved with Mt. Vernon when they lived there.  When my brother retired as Dean of National War College they let him lead a memorial ceremony in the tomb of George/Martha.  LOVE THE HISTORY THERE!  The Mount Vernon Ladies are so history and education minded that they have AMAZING programs for teachers and students! 

You are so correct that they were so wise when they didn't allow any government participation!  Their acquired collections of china, silver, homeware are amazing!  We used to go and just sit on the back patio and rock in the rocking chairs viewing the Potomac.  This is one time when they had a local high school band playing in full uniform on an extremely HOT and humid day!!!


Logged
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

ghopper1924

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3316
  • Karma: +136/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2016, 03:33:44 pm »
"We used to go and just sit on the back patio and rock in the rocking chairs viewing the Potomac."

Just like the Washington's themselves did! How lucky you were!

I loved touring the place when I was in architecture school in Virginia, but I was just part of a seemingly endless stream of tourists; not much time to rock quietly on the porch. 
Logged
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2016, 03:43:31 pm »
Yeah, the ladies have it going on, no doubt. There is no area that they overlook, including the recent fashion of looking down on the founding fathers on the issue of slavery. I have no doubt that once fully engaged, they will prevail in their arguments, i wouldn't bet against them, they are a very determined advocate.
Logged

mart

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19849
  • Karma: +122/-1
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2016, 05:40:04 pm »
You can`t erase history !!  One of these days they will figure that out !!
Logged

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Martha Washington Plate
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2016, 10:43:25 pm »
Well, the ladies have faced MUCH tougher issues before, like the civil war. Their solution? get both sides to agree that mount vernon would be neutral ground and be off limits in combat operations.

Anyway, I'm glad the Mt. Vernon ladies have plenty of $ to buy plates

Me too but, that is a small part of their influence, the ladies have an INCREDIBLE network of people who assist them in their work.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2016, 04:54:37 am by jacon4 »
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »