Royal Doulton | The Professionals Series — The Admiral | Series Ware Cabinet Plate | Pattern D6278 | England, mid-20th century

The man who commands a fleet at sea has learned, above all else, to hold his expression steady regardless of what is coming over the horizon.

Royal Doulton's Professionals Series brought together nine plates depicting recognisable figures of English civic and professional life, each rendered as a central portrait medallion over a transfer-printed border of associated emblems. Produced from 1919 into the 1970s, each plate was hand coloured over the printed outline, giving the series its characteristic combination of engraved precision and painterly warmth. The Admiral, pattern D6278, is among the most visually commanding subjects in the series — the naval figure set against a background of billowing smoke and cloud, with a border of tall-masted sailing ships in full sail.

The plate is circular, 26.2 cm in diameter, with a flat well and a broad decorative border. The central medallion depicts a three-quarter-length portrait of a naval admiral in full dress uniform: a black tricorn hat with gilt trim, a dark naval coat with red and gilt epaulettes and decorative frogging across the chest, and a light-coloured stock at the throat. The figure is set against a warm ground of pink, peach and yellow suggesting smoke or sky. The surrounding border is printed with tall-masted sailing ships of the line on either side, rendered in black outline and washed with soft green, pink and cream colouring, with a beaded inner ring defining the central medallion. The title "The Admiral" is lettered in flowing script at the base of the central medallion. The reverse carries the black printed Royal Doulton lion-over-crown mark with "Made in England" above the circle and "England" below, together with the pattern code D6278 and a painter's mark.

The plate is in excellent condition. The surface is free of chips, cracks, scratches and crazing. The hand colouring is bright and even throughout. No condition issues are present.

• Maker: Royal Doulton
• Series: The Professionals
• Pattern: The Admiral
• Pattern Code: D6278
• Form: Cabinet plate
• Material: Earthenware
• Decoration: Transfer print with hand colouring
• Period: Mid-20th century
• Country of Origin: England
• Diameter: 26.2 cm
• Weight: 608 g
• Marks: Black printed Royal Doulton lion-over-crown mark; "Made in England"; "England"; D6278; painter's mark to base

Every fleet that ever sailed has long since gone below — but the Admiral holds his course on the wall, patient as glazed earthenware allows.