The Marshall Collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of early Worcester porcelain (1751-1783) in existence. The collection was presented to the Ashmolean through the Art Fund by Mr & Mrs Henry Rissik Marshall in 1957, in memory of their son, who was killed in action in 1944. The dish pictured shows a scene from Aesop's fable, The Ass and the Little Dog. The story is of an ass who sees his master petting his lap dog and tries to get onto his master's lap, thinking he will also be stroked. Unfortunately, this attempt leads to a beating! This dish was decorated by Jeffreys Jamett O'Neale, one of the principle decorators at the Worcester Porcelain Company factory, who often painted scenes from myths and fables and dates from 1768-70.

Although presented to the Museum 1957, the Marshall Collection appears in the 1958 NACF List.