{"product_id":"english-breadboard-speed-the-plough","title":"English Breadboard ‘Speed the Plough’","description":"\u003ch5 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eVictorian\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eCirca 1860–1900 | England\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eA 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;\"\u003eDIMENSIONS:\u003c\/span\u003e Diameter 29.5 cm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIGNATURES, MARKINGS \u0026amp; 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 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.georgegen.com.au\/products\/english-breadboard-bless-this-house\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e‘Wing Look’.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;\"\u003eCONDITION:\u003c\/span\u003e 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;\"\u003eREFERENCES:\u003c\/span\u003e For an example of a similar antique breadboard with the “Speed the Plough” motto see \u003ci\u003eVintage Breadboards\u003c\/i\u003e, Madeleine Neave, Prospect Books, 2019, p. 134.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eTHE GEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e“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.” (\u003ci\u003eVintage Breadboards\u003c\/i\u003e, Madeleine Neave, Prospect Books, 2019, p. 187)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003eAfter 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. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 17, 17);\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Georgegen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42867350437930,"sku":null,"price":1284.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0613\/8478\/5962\/files\/Georgegen-TheKitchen-Breadboard-Speed-The-Plough-2.jpg?v=1753496968","url":"https:\/\/www.georgegen.com.au\/products\/english-breadboard-speed-the-plough","provider":"Georgegen","version":"1.0","type":"link"}