Pair of French pseudo-Delft tin glazed month plates with De Porceleyne Byl mark == RESERVED ITEM ==

Pair of medium sized (diameter 25,3 cm) pseudo-Delft tin glazed month plates with an apocryphal De Porceleyne Byl mark, most likely made in France between 1890 and 1920.

Delft month plates (also known as calendar plates) were popular items produced in Delft during the 18th and 19th century. Sets of 12 plates showed activities relevant to each month. The plates had the name of the month or just a number from 1 to 12. Sets with the 12 signs of the zodiac were also made. See https://www.aronson.com/object/d2062-set-of-twelve-months-plates/ for an example of an original set of months plates of De Porceleyne Beyl from around 1780.

Our two plates are copies of original Delft plates. During the period 1890 - 1920 in France it was quite common to create copies of antique Delftware, even copying the original factory marks. Antique Delft items were in great demand and supply was limited. So some French potteries and faienceries specialised in making Delft style items, with varying success. Mostly the copies can be easily distinguished from original Delftware by the appearance of the glaze, the painting, the shape of the items, the type of earthenware used and the appearance of the mark. Still the French copies can be well made and have a beauty of their own. Indeed some factories, such as Louis-Francois Fourmaintraux from Desvres, made pieces that rival and sometimes exceed the quality of original Delftware. Such pieces were often (but not always) signed with their own factory mark.

The two plates here are numbered 9 and 11 (at the 12 o'clock position). They each have in the centre a scene related to the tobacco trade, with a supporting text in Old Dutch around it. The edge of the plates is decorated with leaf and flower ornaments.

The text on the number 9 plate reads: "De koopman port de Slee, den sleper, en et paart, omt huis te Sijn (tot winst) en maakt een dappere vaart." The text contains some spelling mistakes, which is probably caused by the French artist copying the original Dutch text, but would read in English: "The merchant supports the sledge, the sledge driver and the horse to get home quickly (for profit) and makes good speed". The scene shows three men guiding a horse-drawn sledge moving a big barrel of tobacco. A similar original plate (with the same scene and a slightly different text) can be found here: https://museumrotterdam.nl/collectie/item/40027-7.

The text on the number 11 plate reads: "Strip dienaars siet de vroum is neerstigh annt' verkoopen. De vevers t' bootsvolk en elck wil 't huis afloopen". In English the text reads: "Stripping servants see the woman is busily selling. The weavers, the boatsmen and everyone wants to frequent the house". A 'stripping servant' is a person who strips the whole tobacco leaves from their stalks and its large vein. A similar original plate (with the same scene and a slightly different text) can be found here: https://museumrotterdam.nl/collectie/item/40027-8.

The plates are well painted, with good detail in the scenes. On the backside of both plates we find a (fake) mark of De Porceleyne Beyl ("The Porcelain Axe"), which was a famous Delft pottery that existed between 1657 and 1803.

Condition: very good, there are no damages, no visible scratches to the glaze and there is no crazing. There is some soot burned into the glaze (visible as small black points) and there are several spots with clearly defined wear on the edge of the plates (see detail pictures). Also the stilt marks on the back of the plates (marks from the stilts where the plates were resting upon when they were fired) are quite prominent. We believe this wear and roughness of the glaze was deliberately made by the creators of the plates, to give them a more antique look. Regular wear on the edges of tin-glazed earthenware has quite a different look.

Two interesting plates, well painted copies of the original Delft plates, which would make a nice addition to any Delftware collection. The plates come with the perspex display stands featured in the photos.

Made by: unknown, most probably a French pottery / faiencerie

Year of manufacture: most probably between 1890 and 1920

Method of decoration: handpainted (onglaze)

Size: diameter 25,3 cm, depth: 2,8 cm

Weight: 520 and 480 gram (total weight 1 kg)

Additional pictures of the objects can be provided if required.

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