Tracing History through Heritage

This humble pewter plate is an emblem of personal history and survival against the odds during the horrific Holocaust of the Second World War. This type of plate was relatively commonplace in middle class homes, formerly part of larger service, and this particular example was made in Old Prague by the recorded pewterer Martin Franz Extel, who became a Master of his trade in 1802. It was inherited from the owner’s aunt, who was Jewish and born in Prague in 1906 (formerly the Austro-Hungrarian Empire). She managed to escape Prague and reach England, as the situation worsened after Kristallnacht and the initiation of World War II in 1939, to settle with her Czech husband. Although the exact significance of this plate is lost, it marks a significant moment in history to be valued and not forgotten. The engraved script is of a later date.

October Antiques & Interiors Lot 651