Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Old-fashioned grocer’s weighing scales often featured a square, rectangular or circular plate or dish on one side, with the weight(s) on the other. They could be metal or ceramic (ironstone). If the latter, they were usually white. Why then would anyone go to the trouble of decorating such an object with representations (or part representations) of all 52 cards from a standard English pack? That is precisely the case here. The arms in the centre, the Prince of Wales’ feathers and the initials “A E” suggest that this could have been made as a commemorative item, marking the wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), and Princess Alexandra of Denmark (later Queen Alexandra) on 10 March 1863. If it was ever used, it surely found service at a high-class grocer’s establishment.

The court card designs are extremely colourful and elaborate, with raised decoration on the robes and crowns (probably entirely hand painted). The cards represented are exactly the same size as contemporary playing cards though they are not obvious copies of Victorian originals • Enlarge the Ace

Above: Victorian grocer’s scale plate decorated with playing cards, Staffordshire? c.1863. Diameter: 333 mm.

Note: like this plate, loving cups from the same period often featured all 52 cards from a pack.

On the reverse is a depiction of Justitia, to indicate the fairness and accuracy of the scales and echoing their usage. The initials (“HRC”?) may indicate the name of the manufacturer.