Porcelain manufacturers—English ones, in particular—have long made commemorative wares to celebrate milestones of royalty, political events, and other festive or somber occasions. While some such patterns were developed by those companies to capitalize on current-day trends, many were commissioned by monarchs, aristocracy, governments, and, quite often, merchants, such as the New York firm W. H. Plummer & Company. In 1939, the high-end retailer placed an order with the renowned Staffordshire china-maker Wedgwood for 3,000 tea sets to commemorate the visit of King George VI of Great Britain and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, to the United States at the invitation of then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“It was the first-ever visit of reigning British royals to American soil, and it was hugely significant geopolitically. Europe was on the verge of war, and…