French Antique Talking Plate
This delightful talking plate was produced by Gien. It is titled ‘A Country w and below the image is a caption, ‘At the church’. It depicts a bride and groom kneeling as the priest conducts the wedding ceremony. A gentleman stands behind the with arms folded. Could this be the father of the bride, making sure all goes ahead as planned?
Talking plates or Assiettes Parlantes were a fashion phenomenon of the 19th century. They became highly popular from 1870 to the beginning of World War 1. Developments in the production of French transfer ware provided the ability for the transfer process to replicate finely drawn images in fine detail. They had the capacity to produce vast amounts of the plates within a short time frame. Producers of talking plates included Sarrguemines, Gien, Choisy le Roi to name a few. Talking plates could also be referred to as ‘narrative plates’ because they were intended to tell a story. They were pictorial and were usually accompanied by a short description. They were often humorous and the themes were varied with subjects such as military life, hunting, manners, fables, proverbs, popular songs and ceremonial customs such as weddings. Usually made in a series of about 12 plates they depicted daily life. They were historical accounts portraying France in all its glory. Today, these talking plates provide a rich, historical and artistic insight into society of the time.
This talking plate is in very good condition apart from some minor age related staining. On the underside there is a maker’s mark stamped ‘Gien’. The plate measures approximately 20 cms across.
This delightful talking plate was produced by Gien. It is titled ‘A Country w and below the image is a caption, ‘At the church’. It depicts a bride and groom kneeling as the priest conducts the wedding ceremony. A gentleman stands behind the with arms folded. Could this be the father of the bride, making sure all goes ahead as planned?
Talking plates or Assiettes Parlantes were a fashion phenomenon of the 19th century. They became highly popular from 1870 to the beginning of World War 1. Developments in the production of French transfer ware provided the ability for the transfer process to replicate finely drawn images in fine detail. They had the capacity to produce vast amounts of the plates within a short time frame. Producers of talking plates included Sarrguemines, Gien, Choisy le Roi to name a few. Talking plates could also be referred to as ‘narrative plates’ because they were intended to tell a story. They were pictorial and were usually accompanied by a short description. They were often humorous and the themes were varied with subjects such as military life, hunting, manners, fables, proverbs, popular songs and ceremonial customs such as weddings. Usually made in a series of about 12 plates they depicted daily life. They were historical accounts portraying France in all its glory. Today, these talking plates provide a rich, historical and artistic insight into society of the time.
This talking plate is in very good condition apart from some minor age related staining. On the underside there is a maker’s mark stamped ‘Gien’. The plate measures approximately 20 cms across.
This delightful talking plate was produced by Gien. It is titled ‘A Country w and below the image is a caption, ‘At the church’. It depicts a bride and groom kneeling as the priest conducts the wedding ceremony. A gentleman stands behind the with arms folded. Could this be the father of the bride, making sure all goes ahead as planned?
Talking plates or Assiettes Parlantes were a fashion phenomenon of the 19th century. They became highly popular from 1870 to the beginning of World War 1. Developments in the production of French transfer ware provided the ability for the transfer process to replicate finely drawn images in fine detail. They had the capacity to produce vast amounts of the plates within a short time frame. Producers of talking plates included Sarrguemines, Gien, Choisy le Roi to name a few. Talking plates could also be referred to as ‘narrative plates’ because they were intended to tell a story. They were pictorial and were usually accompanied by a short description. They were often humorous and the themes were varied with subjects such as military life, hunting, manners, fables, proverbs, popular songs and ceremonial customs such as weddings. Usually made in a series of about 12 plates they depicted daily life. They were historical accounts portraying France in all its glory. Today, these talking plates provide a rich, historical and artistic insight into society of the time.
This talking plate is in very good condition apart from some minor age related staining. On the underside there is a maker’s mark stamped ‘Gien’. The plate measures approximately 20 cms across.
