An exceptionally rare example of Chinese export porcelain ordered for one of the famous and centuries-old London livery companies, this 11 1/2″ punch bowl is finely emblazoned with the Arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, which was granted to this organization in 1590. The richly ornate arms on the front and back alternates with a scenic roundel of a Mandarin and boy walking in a landscape, while a floral bouquet centers the interior. Porcelain bearing the arms of these companies was not as extensively ordered as, say, dinner services for noble or wealthy households, thus their rarity. A fascinating emblem of the wealth and importance that these guilds possessed in 18th century London. Exceptional condition.  Illustrated in Howard’s Chinese Armorial Porcelain, Vol. I, page 336. Circa 1755.