Dessert plate, part of a service that belonged to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). The plate is painted in full colours and gilt. In the centre is Nelson's coat of arms, complete with supporters, chelengk and 'SAN JOSEF' crest, with his mottos 'FAITH AND WORKS' and 'PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT' (let he who earned it bear the palm). Above are a Viscount's and a Duke's coronet, below, two Naval gold medals and the Order of St. Ferdinand. The shield is surrounded by a band with the motto 'TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO' (three joined in one). The plate has a deep border of oak leaves and acorns on two panels. At the top and bottom are two blue swags with gilt inscriptions above and on the swags, that read 'Nelson', 'Aboukir' and 'Nelson', '14th February' (the date of the battle of Cape St. Vincent). In the inventory of the contents of his house at Merton, sold by Lady Hamilton in 1809, a dessert and tea service of this pattern is referred to as the 'Nelson Set'. There are three similar plates AAA4550-AAA4552 in the museum's collections. The Nelson coat of arms with its motto 'Tria juncta in uno' was granted to the family in 1664. When he was created a Knight of the Bath in 1797, Nelson chose his own supporters, a sailor holding the broad pennant on a staff trampling on a Spanish flag and a British lion tearing the Spanish flag to tatters. His crest was the stern of the 'San Josef' and his motto 'Faith and works'. On 20 November 1798 he was granted the following augmentations: a ship, palm tree and disabled fort in chief, an additional crest of a chelengk on a naval crown and the motto 'Palmam qui meruit ferat'. The sailor acquired a palm branch and a French flag was placed in the mouth of the lion. Nelson's Baron's coronet was exchanged for that of a Viscount in 1801.