19 porcelain salad plates with floral, bird, and dragonfly motifs, Art Nouveau / Eclectic (6195)

Set of 19 porcelain plates with birds, dragonflies and floral motifs. France (Limoges) or Bohemia, approximately 1880–1905. Art Nouveau / Eclectic style.

This exquisite set of 19 plates is an outstanding example of early Art Nouveau decorative art, which flourished in Europe from approximately 1880 to 1910. As a movement, Art Nouveau advocated for a return to nature as the primary source of artistic inspiration, opposing the monotony of industrial production. During this period, porcelain decorations began to feature a more delicate, almost botanical approach — light, trailing floral sprays, small birds in flight, and insects with translucent wings, which the viewer could almost feel as fragments of nature on the porcelain. Precisely these motifs — the dragonfly, birds in various flight poses, flowers with slender stems — are fundamental elements of Art Nouveau iconography.

The plates are made of high-quality white or slightly cream-colored bone china with delicately scalloped edges and a gold rim. Each plate is unique — the painting is arranged differently, and each piece has its own compositional solution: some are dominated by a blue dragonfly, others by two small birds among flowers, and still others by a long-tailed Asian-type bird (possibly a stylized bird of paradise) nestled among green foliage. This “each plate different” approach was extremely fashionable in the late 19th century and attests to a high artistic intention. The floral palette — lilac asters, white and pink forget-me-nots, bluish daisies, bright green foliage — is chosen with great taste, creating an overall light, spring-like atmosphere.

The style and manner of painting — especially the depiction of the dragonfly with its thin, translucent wings and the graphic drawing of the birds on fine stems — closely matches the production of Limoges manufactories from the last two decades of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th. The mark on the bottom is not clearly legible in the photographs. Based on the glaze quality, the proportions of the forms, and the style of painting, this set very reliably corresponds to high-class production — possible manufacturers include Haviland & Co. or one of the manufactories near Limoges at that time. High-class Bohemian origin is also not excluded.

Interior recommendation: these plates are perfectly suited for both use and decorative display. As an active table setting, they will lend an exquisite, romantic look to any lunch or dinner table. As decoration — hung on the wall (with special plate hangers) — they would form a very elegant composition in a dining room, hallway, or kitchen with Art Nouveau, Provence, or classical-style interiors. The plates will particularly complement interiors with fine wood elements, natural textiles (linen, muslin), and flowers in their natural colors.

Condition assessment: The set is in good overall condition. The painting on most of the plates is vivid and intact. The gold rim is well-preserved on most examples, with minor wear on individual pieces — this is normal for items with a history of active use. Some plates may have light cutlery marks or slight dirt accumulation on the rim, which is cleanable. The porcelain is not cracked, chipped, or restored. Considering the age of the set (approximately 120+ years), the overall condition is excellent.

The condition of the item is fully reflected in the attached photographs.

Set of 19 porcelain plates with birds, dragonflies and floral motifs. France (Limoges) or Bohemia, approximately 1880–1905. Art Nouveau / Eclectic style.

This refined set of 19 porcelain plates is an outstanding example of early Art Nouveau decorative art, a movement that flourished across Europe from approximately 1880 to 1910. Art Nouveau was, at its core, a reaction against the monotony of industrial production and a return to nature as the supreme source of artistic inspiration. In porcelain decoration of this period, this philosophy manifested in a delicate, almost botanical approach — light, trailing floral sprays, birds in flight, and insects with translucent wings rendered so finely that they appear as fragments of a living garden preserved on porcelain. The motifs present here — the dragonfly, small birds in various poses, flowers with fine stems, and ornamental grasses — are canonical elements of the Art Nouveau decorative vocabulary.

The plates are made from fine white to very slightly cream-toned bone china with subtly scalloped edges and a gilded rim. Remarkably, each plate in the set carries a unique compositional arrangement: some are dominated by a large blue dragonfly, others by a pair of small birds among flowers, still others by a long-tailed bird of paradise-style figure amid sweeping foliage. This “each plate different” approach was extremely fashionable in the late 19th century and speaks to a high level of artistic intention in the commission or manufacture of the set. The floral palette — lilac asters, white and pink forget-me-nots, blue daisies, vivid green foliage — is chosen with considerable taste, creating an overall effect that is luminous, spring-like, and deeply decorative.

The style of the decoration — particularly the rendering of the dragonfly with diaphanous wings and the graphic precision of the bird motifs on fine stems — is very closely consistent with the output of Limoges manufacturers during the final two decades of the 19th century and the opening years of the 20th. The maker’s mark on the reverse is not clearly legible in the photographs provided. Based on the glaze quality, proportions of the forms, and the style of painting, this set corresponds most plausibly to manufacture of the highest order — likely Haviland & Co. or a comparable Limoges atelier — though superior Bohemian manufacture cannot be excluded.

Interior recommendation: These plates are perfectly suited both for active use and for decorative display. As a working dinner set, they bring an air of refined elegance to any lunch or dinner table. As wall decoration — mounted using purpose-made plate hangers — they create a beautifully composed arrangement in a dining room, hallway, or kitchen with Art Nouveau, Provençal, or classical-style furnishings. They pair particularly well with interiors featuring fine wood elements, natural textiles such as linen or muslin, and flowers in their natural colours.

Condition: The set is in good overall condition. The painted decoration on the majority of plates is vivid and intact. The gilded rim is well-preserved on most examples, with minor wear on individual pieces consistent with age and prior use. Some plates may show light cutlery marks or minor rim soiling, which is cleanable. No crazing, chips, or restoration is present across the set. Given the age of the pieces — approximately 120 or more years — the overall condition is excellent.

The condition of this piece is fully documented in the accompanying photographs.