A truly exceptional piece of American history, this extremely rare Chinese export porcelain ecuelle or covered soup bowl is from a bespoke service ordered by Samuel Shaw, one of George Washington’s staff, who after the Revolution, went to China aboard the ship Empress of China in 1784.  The service bears the insignia of the Order of the Society of the Cincinnati which was a fraternal organization, still active today, for the officers who served on General Washington’s staff and their direct male descendants. This piece bears the faint SS initials of its original owner Samuel Shaw under the insignia. In remarkably fine condition, with only slight wear of the insignia on the reverse side of the bowl. Examples in the collection of Mt. Vernon and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms amongst other major institutions. An entire page is devoted to the history this service and another one for made for George Washington on the page for the Order of the Society of the Cincinnati online.