Wonderful pair of antique French Creil faience 8 1/4" cabinet plates, decorative pieces with Romanesque borders and center Grand Tour scenes of Paris including "Vue Des Tuileries" and "Vue De L'Hotel Impedes Invalides"! Marks on the bases, including impressed mark of "Creil", are for Stone, Coquerel et LeGros, works can be seen at the Met and the V&A, or in their online galleries. Faience, or tin-glazed and enameled earthenware, first emerged in France during the sixteenth century, reaching widespread usage among elite patrons during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, prior to the establishment of soft-paste porcelain factories. Although characterized as more provincial in style than porcelain, French faience was used at the court of Louis XIV as part of elaborate meals and displays, with large-scale vessels incorporated into the Baroque garden designs of Versailles. Earlier examples of French faience attest to the strong influence of maiolica artists from Italy. Later works demonstrate the ways in which cities such as Nevers, Rouen, Lyon, Moustiers, and Marseille developed innovative vessel shapes and decorative motifs prized among collectors throughout Europe. A lovely pair, larger than most and one (pair or grouping) of several that we're adding today and in the weeks ahead. Wonderful decorative accents these, enjoy your Grand Tour style trips but get your lasting souvenirs here with us :). Thanks!
Very good condition, age considered. As you can see, they do show their age but that really adds to the charm. Some surface scratching to some extent to the decoration. Possibly a tiny nip but I see no rim chips, no cracks. Also some discoloration, as you can see, and some crazing to the glaze. They are more of a cream color, not white, but appear slightly lighter in person than I could get out photos to depict accurately. These have had metal wall hanging hooks glued to the backs also so they're ready for easy display. See pictures for measurements.
