26th Regiment, The Cameronians, Scottish Rifles. A Victorian, procealain, mess plate

26th Regiment of Foot, the Cameronians, Scottish Rifles. A fine 10½ ins diameter officers’ mess plate by Chamberlains Worcester. The shaped border of this attractive plate is most unusual and it remains in undamaged condition although, unfortunately, the regimental number 26 within a garter is very faded even though the imperial crown above is perfectly clear. The remaining royal blue and gilt decoration is undamaged and the underside has the maker’s impressed mark.  Perhaps this could be revived by a clever restorer but it is a trea tto find a plate that is not chipped at all and had not even a hair line crack appears. The officers of the 26th must have been very careful and so must their mess staff. We are inclined ot date this to the mid Victorian era. The numbering system disappeared in the 1881 reforms. Mess crockery and silver does not appear often: there are recorded examples of its being left behind when regiments were hard pressed on service abroad. jan26/4