About this piece
back to topA hand decorated 19th century English heraldic tile by J. D. Rochfort, dating 1881 to the reverse. This porcelain tile is one of 14 similar we are selling, removed from the now demolished library of the Victorian Brompton Consumption Hospital, London.
It depicts the coat of arms of Lieutenant General Philip Smith who, during the 19th century Anglo-Egyptian War, commanded the 2nd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards. A photo of the General can be found in the Royal Collection and once formed part of Queen Victoria’s collection.
Brompton Consumption Hospital was founded in 1841 and built throughout the 1840s. An illustration from the Royal Collection shows how the exterior of hospital looked circa 1845.
This large scale antique 8-inch tile is unique and brilliantly detailed, making a superb collector’s item. Hand-painted on porcelain, it is over 140 years old and captures the talent of the artist, offering a glimpse into 19th century English history. The artist, John Downes Rochfort (1825-1885), was a painter of ceramics and watercolours.
Image source: Book illustration of ‘Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest.’ by Hulme, F. W. (engraver) from The Royal Collection Trust.