English Breadboard ‘Speed the Plough’

Victorian

Circa 1860–1900 | England

A rare example of a possible George Wing Victorian carved wooden breadboard. This antique breadboard clearly retains its deep carving throughout the decoration and motto. The top border contains the motto “Speed the Plough” in gothic script and bobbly serifs contained within a banner.

It has a symmetrical half bottom border of beautifully carved leaves and acorns, and lovely deep carving and patina, particularly evident through the expertly carved little dots in the background to darken the wood and emphasise the motto. The breadboard retains its deep breadcrumb gully.

DIMENSIONS: Diameter 29.5 cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Attribution of breadboards is difficult, as so little printed information remains, and there were hundreds of carvers during the Victorian era. Most likely this is a breadboard made by the Wings (see The Gen) as the lettering is Gothic and it has their distinctive ‘bobbly serifs’ which are a hallmark of the ‘Wing Look’.

CONDITION: In excellent condition, with wear commensurate with antique age and use of such a piece. The breadboard has a lovely patina evident through the untouched colour and wear, light knife marks and two knot losses on the back. These all add to the history of the piece and wonder of the stories it could tell.

REFERENCES: For an example of a similar antique breadboard with the “Speed the Plough” motto see Vintage Breadboards, Madeleine Neave, Prospect Books, 2019, p. 134.

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THE GEN

“William Wing (the Elder) was clearly struggling to survive ‘in trade’ as a ‘chairmaker’ in 1820s London. There was a mushrooming of industrialised workshops, and competition must have been fierce. He married young but his first wife died prematurely. His first two children, George and William, were both born out of wedlock. Suffice to say, it was in the midst of a bread famine, with destitution and the St Pancras Workhouse looming large. Some years later, he found the funds to marry George’s mother, but again it was short-lived. By his third and final marriage to a Yorkshire lass in Rotherham in 1840, he had four children.” (Vintage Breadboards, Madeleine Neave, Prospect Books, 2019, p. 187)

After a hard start in life the Wing family lived by the mottos they carved in their breadboards and did ‘Speed the Plough’ with William’s son George being the only entry under ‘Bread Platter Manufacturers’ in a Sheffield commercial directory until 1860. 

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