Antique FINEST ENGLISH CHEESE Grocers Dairy Slab Advertising English Transferware Cheese Bell & Plate British Coat of Arms

This is a hard to find cheese dome by London Dairy Supply on a Wonderful dairy slab which reads “FINEST ENGLISH CHEESES” It is a heavy Ironstone stand.  The rare bell features the British Coat of Arms printed in black at the front.  It has a ribbed knob finial with a breathe hole at top.   The crested front has two French sayings:  “Dieu et mon droit" across the bottom of the coat of arms and “Honi soit qui mal y pense.”  The reason for the French sayings on the Royal Coat of Arms is interesting and goes back centuries:   “Dieu et mon droit" – meaning “God and my right” – is the motto of the monarchy and was adopted by Henry V in the 15th Century.  It was first used as a battle cry by King Richard the First as he went into battle against Philip II of France in 1198.   “Honi soit qui mal y pense” – meaning “Shame on he who thinks evil of it” – goes back to King Edward III, when Norman French was a common language in the UK. The phrase is the motto of the Order of the Garter, set up by