A Baixela de Prata da Casa Veyrat para a Rainha D. Maria Pia. Um serviço de mesa emblemático no acervo do Palácio Nacional da Ajuda

The silver service from Maison Veyrat counts two hundred and sixty one pieces today. It was brought from Italy by Queen Maria Pia when she came to Portugal to wed King Luis in 1862. This service known as "the wedding silver" remained in the palace of Ajuda where it was kept since then. A different fate was suffered by its centrepiece, submitted by the Queen herself to the Bank of Portugal in the early 20th century, standing as guarantee against the bank loans she asked for. In July 1912, already into the republican period, the centrepiece was sold in what became the where wellknown auction of "the Jewels and silver of Queen Maria Pia". Its whereabouts remained unknown until December 2014 when it resurfaced in the antiquariat and art market. It was purchased by the Direccao-Geral do Patrimonio Cultural (Directorate General for Cultural Heritage) and returned to the Palace of Ajuda collections.