C. 1900 Limoges Hand-Painted Game Bird Cabinet Plates - Set of 6

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An elegant set of six large French Limoges cabinet plates, produced by Haviland & Co. and retailed by Ovington Brothers, … Read more An elegant set of six large French Limoges cabinet plates, produced by Haviland & Co. and retailed by Ovington Brothers, New York, one of the premier American luxury importers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Each plate measures approximately 9.5 inches in diameter and is hand-painted with a naturalistic game bird scene, surrounded by delicate holly sprays and framed by an ornate scalloped rim with heavy gilded accents. The painterly quality of the bird studies—soft landscapes, fluid brushwork, and subtle coloration—reflects the Edwardian taste for sporting imagery and refined decorative porcelain.
Across the set, the plates depict five distinct traditional game bird subjects, including a pheasant, partridge, woodcock, lapwing or plover, and a snipe-type shore bird. One bird subject appears twice within the set, a common and historically appropriate practice for decorative cabinet plate groupings of this period. The combination of traditional game bird imagery and delicately painted holly decoration gives this set a distinctive crossover appeal, allowing it to transition seamlessly from autumn and winter interiors into holiday styling without feeling overtly seasonal.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE
Produced in Limoges, France, circa 1900–1915, these plates were made for the American market during a period when leading U.S. retailers commissioned decorative porcelain tailored to American tastes. Ovington Brothers, a prominent New York luxury importer and retailer, was known for selecting high-quality Limoges blanks and offering refined hand-painted designs intended for display rather than table use. While retailed in the United States, pieces of this type were typically decorated in Limoges workshops before export, reflecting the transatlantic collaboration that defined American collecting in the early 20th century.

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