The arms are the same in these two Washington plates. In his “Barons of the Potomac and the Rappahannock” (published by the Grolier Club, 1892), Mr. Moncure Daniel Conway has referred to the older form of the arms as used by earlier members of the family. The earliest shields held “Gules on a barre argent 3 Cinquefoiles of ye first.” The second step was made by changing to the following, “Gules on a fesse sable 3 mullets.” The last and present form is, “Argent, two bars gules: in chief three mullets of the second.” These last, it is claimed, suggested our national flag.
The plate of Elizabeth Graeme of Philadelphia should be noted here, as it is the only example of an heraldic plate used by a lady of colonial times. It is fully described in the list.
Leaving now these older plates of special interest to be discovered in the Lists, we turn to a few modern plates which are worthy of particular attention.
The plate of Daniel Webster is a plain armorial with the motto, Vera pro gratis, on the ribbon below the shield.
The etched plate of the late James Eddy Mauran, the early collector of American and other book-plates, was an armorial of very handsome appearance. The shield is surrounded with the style of decoration used on the Chippendale examples, oak leaves being used in lieu of mantling.
An earlier plate in two sizes shows some differences in the design.