Dorking Placemat Appraisal

Lady Clare 'The White Horse' Dorking Placemat

This item is a decorative placemat or table mat featuring a monochrome ink drawing of 'The White Horse' pub in Dorking, England. The drawing, executed in a detailed pen and ink style, depicts a historic building with multiple rooflines, dormer windows, and a prominent pub sign in the shape of a white horse. Architectural details such as brickwork, window paning, an arched entrance, and decorative wrought iron elements are clearly visible. The foreground shows a paved area, suggesting a street or courtyard leading up to the establishment. The color palette is limited to shades of black and white, indicative of a reproduction of an ink drawing or etching. The bottom left corner of the illustration features the title '“The White Horse”-Dorking' followed by what appears to be a signature, 'Peter Cook' or similar, though it is slightly obscured. The overall condition appears good, with no overt signs of damage, significant wear, or discoloration evident from the image, although a slight curve on the surface suggests it might be made of a flexible material like a laminated board or heavy cardstock. Given the context 'Lady Clare Made in England', this item is likely a mass-produced, high-quality decorative placemat, possibly from the latter half of the 20th century, designed to evoke a traditional British aesthetic. The craftsmanship is in the quality of the print reproduction.