This plate depicting the City Hotel in New York was made in Staffordshire, England, for export to the American market. The City Hotel at 115 Broadway was designed by Ezra Weeks. It became a major New York landmark when it was finally completed in 1798. At four stories tall, it towered over its neighbors and could be seen from the shores of Brooklyn and New Jersey. Its slate roof was the first of its kind in the city. Before its demolition in 1849, the building hosted many famous concerts and banquets in honor of the city’s heroes and celebrities.

An etching from 1831 by the Brooklyn based artist Archibald L. Dick seems to resemble the view here more than any other extant print, although the plate bears the "R.S.W." mark that was only used by the manufacturer between 1824 and 1827. The border of acorns and oak leaves was taken from a stock design belonging to the manufacturer and appears on other pieces.