A creamware gravy dish or 'well and tree' dish from...

A creamware gravy dish or 'well and tree' dish from the 'Baltic Set Dinner Service', circa 1802
Of rounded rectangular form, enamelled with a border of oak leaves and acorns reserving panels inscribed 'Nelson', above blue ribbons inscribed 'the Glorious 1st of August' and 'the San Josef', the cavetto titled 'Aboukir' and '14th Feby', the centre with a fouled anchor within a laurel wreath and 'Nelson, 2nd April, Baltic', 51.8cm wide, 'no.92' in brown script
Provenance
Probably Vice-Admiral Horatio, Lord Nelson
Probably Emma, Lady Hamilton
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery and Midlothian (1847-1929); at Dalmeny House
Thence by descent
Sotheby's London, 5 October 2005, lot 174

The Trickey inventory, drawn up circa 1813, lists the component parts of the Baltic Set Dinner Service in some detail. Alongside twenty various serving dishes that are listed, there is one other, listed as '1 20in Gravy Dish'. The present lot is of exceptional size and it is the only known 'well and tree' or Gravy dish from the Baltic set. Therefore, it is almost certainly the one that came from Merton.

Please see the footnote to lot 66 in this sale for information on the creamware 'Baltic Set Dinner Service'.