Details
Description
Each substantial 10-inch porcelain plate features a colorful naturalistic freshwater fish scene surrounded by smaller aquatic and floral motifs. The …
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Each substantial 10-inch porcelain plate features a colorful naturalistic freshwater fish scene surrounded by smaller aquatic and floral motifs. The white porcelain is finished with a gently scalloped and shaped rim, delicate gold edging, and an elegant looping gold design around the border.
The four plates form two complementary pairs. Two plates feature the same central fish scene but have different decorative motifs around their rims, including a snail on one and a lobster on the other. The remaining two plates share a second fish scene, again with individually varied rim decoration. One incorporates a snail and an additional small fish motif, while the other incorporates both snail and lobster motifs.
These subtle variations make each plate individually interesting while creating a beautifully coordinated set. The combination of freshwater fish, crustaceans, botanical details, scalloped porcelain, and gold decoration is characteristic of decorative European fish services popular during the late 19th Century. .
The undersides are unmarked, so the exact manufacturer and country of origin are unknown. The set is conservatively described as antique European porcelain rather than attributed to a particular maker. The absence of a maker’s mark is not unusual for porcelain of this period. Many late 19th-century decorative wares produced in France and elsewhere in continental Europe were exported without the country-of-origin markings, this became increasingly common following U.S. tariff legislation in 1890. As a result, surviving European porcelain from this era can be found with little or no identifying backstamp, making attribution to a specific factory difficult today.
These late 19th-century porcelain fish plates feature a print-and-tint decorating technique popular during the Victorian era. The detailed fish imagery was transfer-printed onto the porcelain and then enhanced with hand-applied color, giving each plate subtle variations and individual character. This combination of precise printed detail and hand tinting was especially well suited to the naturalistic fish, game, and botanical designs fashionable during the late 1800s.
Wonderful for display in a china cabinet, incorporated into a traditional tablescape, or displayed as a decorative wall grouping. An especially attractive addition to a traditional, English Country, sporting, lake house, or collected interior.
Set: 4 plates
Dimensions: Approximately 10 inches in diameter each
Material: Porcelain with polychrome decoration and gold detailing
Period: circa 1890's- 1900's
Maker: Unknown / unmarked
Origin: European, exact country unknown
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- Dimensions
- 10ʺW × 10ʺD × 1ʺH
- Period
- Late 19th Century
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Porcelain
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Eggshell
- Condition Notes
- Good overall antique condition, particularly considering their approximately 130 years of age. No chips noted. There is age-appropriate wear to … moreGood overall antique condition, particularly considering their approximately 130 years of age. No chips noted. There is age-appropriate wear to portions of the gold decoration and edging, along with scattered surface marks and some dark marks that have been difficult to remove. Minor surface and decorative wear is consistent with age and previous use. Please review photographs closely for additional condi less
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