Four 19th C. French Armorial Cobalt & Gilt Plates Attributed to Limoges

Details

Description

Set of Four 19th-Century French Armorial Porcelain Plates with Cobalt Ground and Gilt Decoration, Attributed to Limoges

A striking and … Read more Set of Four 19th-Century French Armorial Porcelain Plates with Cobalt Ground and Gilt Decoration, Attributed to Limoges

A striking and finely executed set of four French armorial porcelain plates, each measuring 9.5 inches in diameter, attributed to Limoges, France, circa 1880–1900. The plates are notable for their rich cobalt blue ground, elaborately scalloped rims, and finely painted gilt and enamel decoration, each centered with a distinct heraldic motif.

The set includes:
One plate with a crowned white swan over crossed scepters, depicted piercing its own breast to feed its young—a classical Christian symbol of sacrifice and charity known as the Pelican in Her Piety motif.

A second plate with a crowned swan bearing a Latin banner reading "MORIAR INVINCIA" ("I will die unconquered"), symbolizing noble resolve and self-sacrifice.

One plate features a crowned white hound encircled by a baroque gilt cipher resembling the letter “H,” possibly referencing the French royal House of Valois or a noble family whose name begins with H.

One plate features a crowned escutcheon surrounded by laurel leaves and a blue belt device, with a stylized Gothic “H” at its center, representing a monogrammed heraldic crest likely tied to a French noble lineage.

Each plate is framed by a continuous gilt foliate border and a radial starburst of fleur-de-lys-style gilt devices. The reverse sides are glazed in deep cobalt with applied metal hanging mounts, suggesting their original use as decorative wall plaques.

Elegant, symbolic, and richly decorative, this set reflects the height of 19th-century French porcelain artistry—perfect for collectors of armorial or heraldic tablewares or as a focal point in a historically inspired interior. See less