19th Century French Blue & White Plates

We found these two plates on our latest buying trip to France and couldn't leave either behind.

Plate No. 1 is a French terre de fer / fine earthenware plate, dating to the second half of the 19th century. Delicate blue-grey transfer decoration runs around the border with flowers, foliage and scrolling details, leaving the centre beautifully simple. The muted colour gives it an almost faded appearance and makes it particularly lovely for display.

Plate No. 2 is a 19th century French faience plate with a much freer design. Stylised blue floral sprigs are scattered across the centre, surrounded by a feathered blue border and gently scalloped edge. The glaze has developed a network of crazing with age and there are small areas of wear around the rim – all part of the look of this much older piece.

Both would look lovely propped on an open dresser or kitchen shelf, but they're even better hung on a wall amongst mismatched old plates, paintings and other finds.

Sold individually – simply select Plate 1 or Plate 2 when ordering.

• 19th century French plates
  
• Dating approximately 1840–1880

Both plates show signs of their considerable age. Plate 1 has light surface and glaze wear. Plate 2 has extensive crazing to the glaze together with chips and losses around the outer rim, which can be clearly seen in the photographs. Please select your chosen plate and refer to its individual photographs for condition.

It's the blue that did it for us. Neither is a crisp, perfect blue and white plate – the colours have softened with age and each has a completely different pattern. They're exactly the sort of old French plates we love mixed together across a kitchen wall or piled amongst pottery on a dresser.