Featured Wedgwood Identification Help

Hello! I am hoping that someone can help me identify the origins of this Wedgwood plate. It measures 10” in diameter and appears to be hand painted. I have googled “ready aye ready” as well as Wedgwood date marks and haven’t been able to come to a conclusion. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

It's a motto of the Royal Canadian Navy.

 

Thanks for your reply. I did find the Royal Canadian Navy connection in my searches but it was founded in 1910 and I believe the plate to be earlier based upon the appearance and Wedgwood stamps on the back. I may be wrong but it just did not make sense to me.

I also found a few results that connected “ready, aye, ready” with the Royal Mediterranean Fleet which is much older than the Royal Canadian Navy.

 

https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/Category:Canada_Military_heraldry_(images)

 

"Ready Aye Ready" was also a motto on the sledge flag of Captain Robert Falcon Scott during the Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole. Several sites say that he used the Scott "family crest" of a stag's head with that motto below it. Photo of the flag here, and on several other sites: https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-212309

This doesn't help you take the date earlier but from what I can tell of Wedgwood marks, the mark stamped in black on your piece should date between 1878-1900. Scroll down on this page for explanation. Yours does not have the "three stars" below the vase. https://antique-marks.com/wedgwood-marks.html

The date can be narrowed more than that: the incised WEDGWOOD mark in the white glaze is barely visible on your piece, but it does not appear to have the word "England" as was required starting in 1891. So overall, from the marks, I'd say your piece should date between 1878-1890.

It doesn't help in determining why the motto is there, though. However, I think the motto could have been used earlier. The articles that say Scott had a family crest with that motto suggest earlier uses were possible.

 

After writing the previous post I came across Fairbairn's Book of Crests in Google Books. There were at least three crests listed that included "Ready Aye Ready". I can't get back to that page right now. It's possible that the crest and motto on your plate were made for a particular family.

 

Thank you, Figtree3. That is very helpful.