Faience Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

French Majolica oyster plate Orchies, circa 1900.

Few 19th-century French faience services embody the elegance, artistic refinement and poetic spirit of the Japonisme movement as beautifully as Jules Vieillard Bordeaux’s celebrated “Nella” pattern. More than a dinner service, this remarkable ensemble is a hand-painted work of art, where every piece celebrates nature through an extraordinary variety of exotic birds, flowering branches, butterflies and delicate insects. No two plates are exactly alike, making each place setting a unique composition while preserving the perfect harmony of the whole. Founded in Bordeaux in 1845, the Jules Vieillard manufactory became one of France’s most prestigious ceramic producers. By the 1870s it employed nearly 1,300 craftsmen, ranking among the country’s leading faience manufacturers. Its artistic creations were celebrated at the great international exhibitions of the nineteenth century, including the Gold Medal awarded at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1878, a distinction that firmly established the international reputation of the Bordeaux factory. Created during this golden period, the “Nella” pattern is now regarded as one of the manufactory’s finest and rarest achievements. Inspired by the discovery of Japanese art in Europe during the second half of the nineteenth century, it perfectly reflects the new decorative language that transformed European ceramics. Every piece was individually moulded in fine faience, fired, then meticulously hand-painted by master decorators using coloured enamels before receiving its final transparent glaze and being fired once again. This demanding process ensured exceptional brilliance while allowing each painter complete artistic freedom. Rather than reproducing a single repetitive design, every plate was intentionally decorated with its own individual composition. Kingfishers, parrots and other exotic birds rest upon blossoming branches of prunus, peonies, irises and wild roses. Butterflies, dragonflies and tiny ladybirds animate the white ground with remarkable delicacy, creating the impression of a living garden. The asymmetrical compositions, generous areas of untouched white and graceful movement throughout the decoration perfectly express the refined aesthetic of French Japonisme. Complete “Nella” services have become extraordinarily scarce. Intended for everyday use within distinguished households, most examples were gradually dispersed or damaged over nearly one hundred and fifty years. Today, large coherent ensembles with their original serving pieces seldom appear on the international market. According to family history, this exceptional service remained for generations in an elegant maison de maître on the French Riviera before entering the antiques market. Unlike most surviving examples, which are composed predominantly of plates, this magnificent ensemble retains an unusually rich selection of original serving pieces together with its complete coffee service, making it equally desirable for collectors, designers and prestigious private residences. Composition — 83 Pieces * 27 Dinner Plates – Ø 25 cm (9.84 in) * 14 Soup Plates – Ø 25.5 cm (10.04 in) * 16 Dessert Plates – Ø 22.5 cm (8.86 in) * 1 Covered Soup Tureen * 2 Covered Vegetable Tureens * 1 Covered Serving Dish * 2 Large Oval Serving Platters * 1 Large Fish Platter * 1 Shell-Shaped Compotier * 2 Covered Sauce Boats with Attached Stands * 1 Covered Mustard Pot * 1 Coffee Pot * 1 Covered Sugar Bowl * 1 Milk Jug * 10 Coffee Cups * 11 Coffee Saucers Every piece bears the JVB factory mark beneath, while the principal serving pieces are additionally marked “Nella”, confirming the authenticity of this prestigious model. The overall condition is exceptional considering its age of approximately 150 years. The enamels retain remarkable freshness and brilliance, while the glaze remains beautifully preserved. Minor imperfections are limited to a few discreet hairlines, one deep serving dish displaying slight age-related darkening, one coffee saucer with noticeable staining and the expected traces of careful domestic use accumulated over generations. These small imperfections are entirely consistent with the age of the service and do not detract from its extraordinary visual impact. More than simply an antique dinner service...

A Montelupo Maiolica dish featuring an Arlecchino decor in the shades of ochre, yellow, blue, green, and black. The shallow, circular form is decora...

French Faience Plate Henriot Quimper Circa 1950. woman from Brittany with a spinning wheel. 10.5 inches diameter.

Majolica oyster plate signed Sarreguemines, circa 1950.

Small Majolica water lily pond plate Wasmuel, circa 1890.6 inches diameter , 8 plates available.  

French Majolica oyster plate with seaweeds Salins (East of France) circa 1890.  

Majolica Pansy plate Jerome Massier Circa 1900.

This striking set comprises twelve majolica oyster plates and one large matching serving platter, beautifully crafted in the style of Longchamp, France. Each plate features a vivid g...

French aqua turquoise Majolica oyster plate signed Sarreguemines Majolica, circa 1870. 6 shells and space for the lemon on the center.

Large Majolica oyster platter with a crab in the center and shell accents, circa 1960 signed Sarreguemines.

French faience oyster plate signed Henriot Quimper, circa 1930.

Elegant blue and white oyster plate signed Bordeaux Vieillard, circa 1890. Six wells surrounded by blue seaweeds of different kinds. Ref / 2732.

Decorative ceramic plate made in France, decorated with a design inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso. The central motif depicts two stylized figures in motion, drawn in black and enhanced with graphic touches of green, red, and blue, characteristic of the artist's pictorial vocabulary. An emblematic piece embodying the dialogue between modern art and 20th-century decorative arts, produced in the tradition of French artistic ceramics. Main Features : Decorative ceramic plate France, 20th century Design inspired by Pablo Picasso Stylized figures and expressive graphic composition Polychrome palette: black, blue, green, and red Marked on the reverse (France) Excellent collector's item or wall decoration A fusion of modern art and decorative ceramics Keywords : Picasso plate, Picasso ceramics France, modern decorative plate, French modern art, decorative cubism, 20th-century artistic ceramics, collectible plate, French art and design, modern wall decoration, Vallauris Picasso...

French Majolica oyster plate with seaweeds Salins (East of France) circa 1890.  

Delft Tin-glazed earthenware plate decorated in blue on a white ground, featuring a chinoiserie inspired landscape. Dutch, Delft, second half 18th century. Condition: Very good. Mi...

19th Century Plate signed Vieillard Bordeaux service Nella. Naturalist plate with a kingfisher, an insect , water lilies

A charming and highly decorative late 19th-century French faience tureen by Creil & Montereau, from the sought-after Flora pattern, accompanied by its matching underplate and ser...

Delft blue and white wall plaque with integral polychrome self-frame, mid-18th century. The central decoration depicts an Oriental landscape with blossoming peonies, painted in coba...

Majolica water lily pond plate Wasmuel, circa 1890.   

A lovely 18th century Nevers earthenware plate featuring a charming country home, smoke billowing out of the fireplace, trees nestled around.

Late 18th century Blue Delftware lidded vase with central decoration of a flower bouquet in a cartouche. Finial with foo dog alike creature. Marked on underside: LPK for "De Lampe...

French Majolica bird & flower plate, Circa 1890.

Exquisite fine cream faience tableware set adorned with scattered roses and gold trim. The set consists of 62 pieces and would be ideal for casual dining, or would make an eyecatchin...

An exceptional rare dinner service of 92 pieces in fine French earthenware, made by the esteemed faience manufacturer Jules Vieillard of Bordeaux. The charming blue and white design ...

Large pair of French Majolica Iris vase signed Delphin Massier, circa 1880.

Rare Japonism "Folded" Fruit Bowl from service "Bracquemond-Rousseau" of Faience Manufacture Creil et Montereau. This French earthenware Faience piece is part of the world-renowned...

Bring timeless French elegance to your table with this exquisite 75-piece antique faience dinnerware set, beautifully adorned with deep cobalt blue ...

A French large faience plate with a farmer in the costume with flowers signed Henriot Quimper, circa 1950. Colorful yellow border and blue lines. Measure: 9.5 diameter.

French Majolica Pansy plate Marcel Guillot Vallauris, circa 1950. 8.3 inches diameter.

This exquisite 19th-century, ceramic plate is a stunning creation from the renowned Longwy manufactory, celebrated for its mastery of decorative ceramics. The plate features a capti...

19th century large blue and white French transferware platter signed Utzschneider & Cie (Sarreguemines) Model Helvetia. Scene with fisherman, cow...

Majolica plate signed Choisy le Roi, circa 1890. Very rare large size 9.5 inches. 6 plates available.

This exquisite Moustiers faience dinnerware set is a true celebration of traditional French craftsmanship. Hand-painted in delicate shades of blue o...

French Majolica chesnut leaf plate , circa 1890. 7.3 inches diameter.

18th-century Marseille faience plate, France, circa 1770. The plate is hand-painted in polychrome enamels with scattered floral sprays and leafy branches, a decoration closely associ...

Elegant and Rare French Faience sunflower Tureen Creil et Montereau Circa 1890. Signed C&M Le Soleil. Lemon handle.

French Faience Blue & White Plate Henriot Quimper Circa 1930. Floral decoration. 8.2 inches diameter.

Fine pair of Dutch Delft larger plates dish from the famous Grieksche A workshop, painted in cobalt blue monochrome enamel with the “Theeboom” or “Tea Plant” pattern. The central dec...

This exquisite rectangular ceramic platter is a beautiful example of traditional French craftsmanship by Émaux de Longwy. Hand-decorated with vibrant floral motifs, it features a ric...

Majolica Pansy plate Jerome Massier Circa 1890.

19th Century Majolica Snail Platter signed Saint Clement.

Rare pair of blue faience tiles Marine landscape painted France, 1880-1890 "E. Gallé Nancy" signed on the back Excellent condiction.

Studio: Royal Copenhagen Designer: Kari Christensen Series: Tenera Weight: 811g Product Description: Tenera is a series designed by six young female designers from the Nordics...

French Set of six green majolica grapes plates, circa 1880.  

French Faience Floral Plate Henriot Quimper Circa 1950.

19th Century green Majolica tureen with stand signed Sarreguemines Majolica, circa 1870 With grapes leaves. Height / 7.5", diameter / 8 inches.  

This Plate is a Majolica plate made in the Sarreguemines Manufacture. This glazed Faience, is in yellow and green color. It has been done in the 19th century.

French faience oyster plate signed Henriot Quimper, circa 1930.

Majolica 9 shells platter signed Longchamp, circa 1890. Reference / Page 142 "Collecting Oysters Plates" of J. B. Snyder.

A striking collection of three sculptural ceramic vases produced by Thulin, Belgium, during the 1920s. These distinctive pieces embody the expressive forms and bold glazing typical o...

French Majolica bird with grapes plate signed Sarreguemines, circa 1880.

Rustic French Plate signed Hamage Saint Amand Circa 1920.

A late 18th-century Dutch tin-glazed earthenware plate, unmarked, decorated in underglaze blue with a Chinoiserie motif of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees. Ochre rim Condition:...

French Majolica oyster plate with green acanthus leaves, circa 1890.

Majolica plate birds with grapes signed Sarreguemines, circa 1880.

Rare second half 17th century Blue Delftware platter with Chinese kraak style decoration of a garden with 3 Chinese persons. Border decoration in panels. Flower vines in four small p...

Manifattura San Carlo della Real Fabbrica di Caserta - Serving dish in Moustiers style with scalloped edge decorated in ocher and green monochrome with a medallion in the center of t...

French Faience Biscuit Barrel Desvres Circa 1900. 8 inches with handle. 7 inches height.

Twenty-One Piece Set of French Provincial faience Dinnerware, early 20th c., by Sarraguemines, Agreste pattern (meaning rural, rustic) consisting of...