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| Figure 6 Base of the bowl illustrated in fig. 1. (Melbourne Cricket Club Museum Collection; courtesy of the National Sports Museum, Melbourne Cricket Ground. Acc. No. M569.1; photo, Erin O'Brien.) View of the “A mark,” which was painted in underglaze blue. It is the occurrence of this letter, either painted or incised, that characterizes the A-marked group. One line of thought has suggested that the A stands for the third duke of Argyll, who was a known patron of the arts at this time and had close links with the Bow manufactory. A more recent, alternative view is that the A commemorates Alderman George Arnold, who is generally regarded as being the financial supporter of the Bow manufactory during its infant years and, by inference, its supporter during the phase of manufacture of these porcelains. |