An extraordinarily fine Chinese export porcelain ‘Marriage’ plate, meticulously hand-painted en grisaille with a lavishly detailed wedding scene taking place within a grand  architectural setting with pillars supporting a classical dome, the attendees appearing to be mostly classical nymphs and tritons, all within a finely gilded Meissen-style border.  Illustrated and discussed in Howard & Ayers’ book China for the West, p. 394 as well as Howard’s  The Choice of the Private Trader p. 82 where it is explained that this design was only made for about ten known services, each service having its own family coat-of arms incorporated into the design, and all the identified arms being Dutch. Obviously a treasured piece given its remarkable condition with virtually no wear to either the gilding or the grisaille rendering. Measuring 9″ in diameter – all known examples being plates.  Circa 1740.