Plaques with white edges showing from the front

The first plaque below is of a type that until recently I hadn't noticed existed. It has the 'Prepare' transfer that appears on plaque forms attributed to Scott (click here to read my previous post on the subject). Ian Holmes drew my attention to this 'family' of finely potted plaques, which have very neatly applied copper lustre borders, painted up to a line, so that the white edges of the plaque are visible from the front (see detail below – click to enlarge). The detail is from the 'May Peace and Plenty' plaque to its right. At first glance it could be mistaken for a Garrison (Dixon) plaque (see bottom left). But the plaques are different sizes. The plaque with white edges showing is 230mm x 200mm, whereas the Garrison plaque is 210mm x 185mm. Bottom centre, is a blue-cornered 'May Peace and Plenty' with white edges showing. The 'white edges' plaques are close in size to the common brown-bordered plaques attributed to Scott (bottom right), which are 230mm x 205mm.  The brown-bordered plaques are, however, much more heavily potted.

Below are three details. The first is from the Garrison plaque (bottom left, above), and the second from the plaque with white edges showing (top right, above). They are clearly from different transfer plates. Another difference is that the triangular pennant flag on the centre mast is much shorter on the Garrison version. The 'white edges' plaques come from the same transfer plate as the brown-bordered plaques commonly attributed to Scott (see below right detail).

In case you needed more convincing regarding a Scott attribution, the three plaques below, with white edges showing, all have transfers that appear on other plaques forms attributed to Scott.

For the reasons set out in my last 'Prepare' blog post, I think these plaques pre-date the clunky brown-bordered plaques of the 1850s and 60s. N.B. I've yet to see a 'white edges' plaque with a Crimean ship.  So my guess is that they are more refined precursors of the brown-bordered plaques, and were made by Scott in the 1840s.

P.S.

I've added a new May peace and plenty page under the maritime section. I dream that one day someone with a large collection of maritime plaques will get in touch!