A beautiful example of Chinese export porcelain made for the American market, this helmet creamer, undoubtedly from a tea service, was made for Henry Smith of Rhode Island and bears an especially fine example of an early version of the Great Seal of the United States. Smith was a supercargo aboard the ship George Washington on her first voyage to China in 1784. It was only fitting that such a ship return with such an ‘American’ themed tea set and demonstrates the patriotism and enthusiasm citizens bore for their new republic. Very good condition, discussed in Chinese Export Porcelain in the Reeves Collection at Washington & Lee University, page 142.