Armorial Crest Plate DICK FAMILY Flight Barr Barr Worcester
A superb Flight Barr Barr Worcester plate, made for the DICK or DICK- CUNYNGHAM family. Styliised iron red and gold floral border in the Japanese Imari taste. Central crest with a British ship in distress. Motto" Spes infracta". Printed Flight Barr Barr purple mark to reverse. Dates to circa 1813-1840. Measures approx 9 Inches wide. Excellent condition.
Crest is that of Dick of Prestonfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.
A younger son of Sir William Cunyngham (Cunynyghame) ,Sir Alexander Dick, third Baronet (1703-1785) inherited the Dick baronetcy through his mother. He altered his name and lived in the Dick family seat of Prestonfield , formerly Priestfield, at the foot of Arthur's Seat off the Royal Mile. It had been built in 1678 by the King's architect Sir William Bruce (soon after updating nearby Holyroodhouse) for Sir James Dick, first Baronet (1643-1728), a successful merchant who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Sir Alexander, the third Baronet, was a notable physician, President of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh for seven years and established a library. He was also a founding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Well known as the man who pioneered the propagation of rhubarb in Britain. A close friend of Boswell, he entertained Johnson (during their famous tour of Scotland), David Hume, the painter Allan Ramsay (with whom he had been on the grand tour) and Benjamin Franklin.
See Winnipeg Art Gallery
G-86-114
https://www.wag.ca/art/art-search/display,result/45845
Prestonfield_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1599982.jpg