Plate 116:  Adding a souvenir mug to the collection, Part 2: tagging the souvenir mug with an index number
(This plate added SEP 2004)

The 1977 Silver Jubilee mug has now been tagged with the index number 132, as dictated by the database entry (see Plate 115). The photos below show the mug, which is cushioned upon a mound of black velvet, illuminated by a 100-watt key-light floodlamp. --more--
Front view	Back view
The two photos above show the decorations on the front and back of the mug. In each photo, we see the identification tag, which has been marked with the index number 132, looped through the mug's handle. The front of the mug, that is, the side of the mug facing the viewer when the handle is on the right, is decorated as follows: A sepia portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II against a light blue background and enclosed within a circular frame. A circular pale yellow scroll surrounding the portrait bears the words "To Commemorate the Silver Jubilee" and the years 1952, the year in which the reign of Queen Elizabeth II began, and 1977, the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. A light blue scroll under the Queen's portrait bears the words Of Queen Elizabeth II. Combining the words on both scrolls from top to bottom, we have the complete motto "To Commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, 1952-1977". Above the Queen's portrait we see a crown resembling St. Edward's Crown (click here for photo of actual crown). To the left and right of the portrait are two heraldic supporters (supporters, in this context, are animals that stand on either side of an object, as if they are propping up, or supporting the object). The supporter on the left is called a Lion Rampant Guardant, and the supporter on the right is called a Unicorn Rampant. The word rampant, applied to these animals, means that the lion and the unicorn are each standing upright on one leg. The word guardant, referring to the lion, means that the lion is looking over his shoulder at the viewer. Observe that the lion appears to be wearing St. Edward's Crown. The lion stands at the viewer's left (to the Queen's right), and the unicorn stands at the viewer's right (the Queen's left). The lion is thus said to be on the dexter side (right-hand side) of the Queen. The lion is generally regarded as the symbol of England, while the unicorn is generally regarded as the symbol of Scotland. This fact brings us to the four flags that appear behind the Queen's portrait. At the viewer's left, behind the lion, are the British national flag (known as the Union Flag, or, if flown from the mast of a vessel of the British Royal Navy, the Union Jack). Behind the Union Flag is a white flag with the red Cross of Saint George, the patron saint of England. At the right, behind the unicorn, is a red flag known as the Red Ensign, or, sometimes, the Red Duster. This is the flag of the British Merchant Navy. Behind the red duster is a blue flag with the white Cross of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The back of the mug, that is, the side of the mug facing the viewer when the handle is on the left, is decorated as follows: The symbol E  II  R, which means "Elizabeth the Second, Regina" (regina means  "the Queen"). A scroll at the bottom contains the single word Jubilee and the years 1952 and 1977, the years of Her Majesty's ascension to the throne and the 25th anniversary of that year, that is, the Silver Jubilee year, respectively. At the top is a crown resembling Saint Edward's Crown (click here for photo of actual crown). Go to top of page