An apple green lace side plate with a beautiful butterfly at its centre.

The dining table of the White House. Either a respite from the stress or a negotiation with some nibbles. If you're Vice President Rockefeller, if you're Ronald Reagan, you want a design that fits. That feels cultivated, not abrasive. You want a design by Mrs Mildred Mottahedeh, as this intricate insect is.

Many words in China have two meanings that fuel the symbolism portrayed in porcelain. The word for 'butterfly' is 'tieh', and like all good words, it's deceptively funny. It's a pun that also means 70 years, and so the connotation connected butterflies with a promise of long life. Unless you're already 70, in which case it might feel like a threat. It was this kind of porcelain Mrs Mottahedeh collected, amassing the most important assortment in the United States. Thankfully, she didn't wish to keep the beauty to herself - she supported the reproduction of the finest designs. We can only thank one of the most important porcelain people of the recent past.

Care instructions: Dishwasher safe although we recommend washing by hand to maintain these pieces for longer, especially with their metallic decoration.

Green Apple Lace Plate Butterfly Side/ Pudding Plate