Fortnum & Mason PLC hold royal warrants for both Her Majesty The Queen (as “Grocers and Provision Merchants”) and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (as “Tea Merchants and Grocers). Wards Signs of Bristol have provided various Royal Warrant coats of arms and citation plaques over the years.
This recent project was a set of 7″ high cast aluminium coats of arms which, along with the citation plaque, had been gold leafed (or gilded). The process of manually applying sheets of gold (so thin that they become opaque when held to the light) is a craft that is becoming increasingly hard to find artisans for. Needless to say that Bristol based sign company Ward Signs having been producing traditional signage for over 60 years have the necessary experience and resources to perform the gold gilding process, heraldric modelling and artistry to comply with the exacting nature of official coats of arms for state.
The Plaques Read:
BY APPOINTMENT
TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES
TEA MERCHANTS AND GROCERS
FORTNUM & MASON PLC. LONDON
and
BY APPOINTMENT
TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II
GROCERS AND PROVISION MERCHANTS
FORTNUM & MASON PLC. LONDON
