The Aynsley commemorative plate in the Replacements, Ltd. museum collection features on its back in gold the Aynsley stamp and the inscription, “TO COMMEMORATE / THE CORONATION OF / QUEEN ELIZABETH II / CROWNED IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY / JUNE 2 1953 / PRODUCED BY AYNSLEY.” On the front of the plate is a lovely portrait of the queen in a hand-tinted photograph, with crown and jewels painted by hand. Encircling the portrait is a magnificent cobalt blue border that contrasts with gold details and gold rim.
Elizabeth became queen upon the death of her father, King George VI, who was the last Emperor of India. During World War II, when England was under sustained attack by Nazi air forces and most of the countries on the Continent had fallen, some suggested that Elizabeth and her younger sister, Margaret, be evacuated to Canada. But Elizabeth’s mother responded, “The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave without the King. And the King will never leave.” In 1940 Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast, addressing children who had been evacuated from cities into the countryside during the Battle of Britain.
Crowned at the age of 27 as constitutional monarch, Queen Elizabeth remains politically neutral and her role is largely ceremonial. While her reign has seen family conflict and tragedy, it has lasted 58 years, one of the longest of any British monarch. Elizabeth II remains popular among the British people, many of whom view her as “an institution unto herself.”
On a whim in 1775 John Aynsley, chairman of a local coal mine in Stoke-on-Trent, England, and a passionate collector of pottery, tableware, and ornamental pieces, decided to open a pottery business. Using local Staffordshire clay and elaborate designs created from his own engravings, he founded a business that prospered. The firm was carried on by his son, James, but it was his grandson, John II, who would take the company to great heights. John II changed the company's focus from producing pottery to making fine bone china. Using a special formula, Aynsley produced bone china that was exceptionally strong, translucent, and white in color.
As the Aynsley reputation for creating fine china grew, Queen Victoria herself took notice. She commissioned Aynsley to produce a set of ornate tableware for her personal use. Having a commission from Her Majesty enabled Aynsley to use the royal family seal in its logo, affirming the company's reputation, and its place in dinnerware history.
While the Aynsley Queen Elizabeth II commemorative plate in our museum is not for sale, Replacements, Ltd. carries a great selection of Aynsley patterns that are available for purchase. Be sure to browse our web site. And remember that we always invite you to visit our facilities - here you’ll see a stunning variety of silver, china, crystal, and collectibles! Our warehouse facilities hold more than 13,000,000 individual pieces in more than 360,000 patterns! Our Showroom and Museum are open from 9:00am to 7:00pm ET, 7 days a week (except holidays); free tours are available from 9:30am to 6:00pm ET, 7 days a week. The Showroom and Museum are conveniently located between Greensboro and Burlington, NC, at exit 132 off Interstate 85/40. We look forward to seeing you!
![Patterns from left to right [Tonquin-Ruby by Wedgwood, Indies-Blue by Johnson Brothers, Desert-Rose by Franciscan, Calico-Blue by Staffordshire, California Provincial by Metlox]](../../images/plates2s.gif)
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