Charming antique French cabinet plate pair, souvenirs marked Exposition Universelle 1878 with ornate floral garland & seashell patterned borders and delightful figural scene centers! Always a popular wall or vitrine decorative accent, these wonderful old French souvenir plates add both a bit of light heartedness but also the elegance and historical aspects. Souvenirs of the 1878 World Expo or Exposition Universelle, the third Paris World's Fair and was held from May through November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War. Marks on the back of each are for Poterie J. Vieillard & Co., Bordeaux. Delightful.
Good condition. A few small rim nips or roughened spots, some darkening to the cream color visible from the fronts/tops and some glaze crazing. One plate also has two hairline cracks, mostly visible from the back as the border decoration masks them from the front. See pictures for all measurements.
