Hello. We like to collect well-designed vintage pottery (and lots of other stuff) from the 1950s,
'60s and '70s. Here are some pictures and info of a selection of the things we've found.

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

Limoges. A miniature plate with a mysterious Paris scene





















I found this tiny little china plate and, to be honest, it's a bit of a mystery to me.

The plate measures just over 6cm (2 and a half inches) in diameter and is marked Limoges, France on the base.

The plate has a stylish illustration of a Paris street scene at night. But what is going on? A man walks with his hands in his pockets past a shop window. A lady stands, smoking a cigarette, in the pale yellow light of a street lamp.

I've seen lots of Limoges china plates before, many are decorated with classical romantic garden scenes by Fragonard. Although they are quite decorative, they don't really fit in with my collection.

But this Limoges plate, I like. So if you do know anything about it, I would be delighted to find out more.
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous11 February 2012 at 21:10

    I love this plate! It looks like a nightclub to me. It looks like there is a man playing the accordion with people watching. The woman outside looks like she could be a prostitute and perhaps the man is getting ready to approach her with money? I was wondering if the place depicted in the scene was a real place and they had small dishes or ashtrays made for their business, like the glass ashtrays one always used to see. Just a thought. I just love it! Great find.

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    1. Potshots11 February 2012 at 21:45

      Wow, yes. Now you mention it, I suppose all that could be going in in the illustration. But wouldn't that be an unusual choice of image to promote your business? The mystery deepens. And here's a thing, I found out that there's still a café in Paris called Chez Dé Dé. Mmmmm.

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  2. Anonymous27 June 2012 at 00:39

    Limoges refers to the region in France from which fine porcelain is manufactured. Various manufacturers and importer/decorators have responded to buyer desires to decorate their pieces with whatever is currently popular. This is an interesting piece, and one I would have snagged, too, given the chance. Are there any markings on the bottom? That would give you a clue as to its origin.

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  3. Potshots27 June 2012 at 08:56

    Hello anonymous reader, Thank you for your comment, and thank you for the information about the plate. There are no markings on the base, other than Limoges, France.

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