{HISTORY}

Shabby chic in the most elegant of ways, these four porcelain plates were made in Limoges, France by Bernardaud a Cie and imported for sale to the luxury dishware retailer Higgins & Seiter.  

A matching pair of two luncheon plates and two bread plates made between 1894-1915, each one features delicate gold filigree and a scalloped edge. Worn in spots yet still shimmery and very beautiful, these plates have a sophisticated shabbiness to them, not unlike the romantic antique domestic aesthetics of Charleston and Havana, New Orleans, and Savannah. They've seen their fair share of interesting dining experiences for sure and that's what gives these four such lovely time-worn character.

The D and C France mark on back stands for Delinieres a Cie - the last name of the founding partner along with Bernardaud.  Bernardaud a Cie, known for their high quality and beautiful designs, exported many pieces of dishware to New York, so much so that they opened their own retail establishment in the city in the 1920s. 

But before that enterprise began, one of Bernardaud a Cie's main retailers in Manhattan was Higgins & Seiter located on West 22nd Street. A premier retail establishment that would eventually become the largest of its kind in the city for dishes, glassware, and unique home decor pieces, Higgins & Seiter worked directly with the finest pottery and glassware manufacturers in Europe.

By building direct relationships, Higgens & Seiter was able to cut out middlemen who would have traditionally negotiated contracts between countries. In handling affairs themselves, H & S was able to offer more favorable prices to their customers. Their discounted pricing and exquisite inventory made them a very popular retailer for over three decades, especially among the city's affluent clientele. 

Difficulties in conducting a trans-Atlantic import business during WWI caused Higgins & Seiter to close in 1915. Over the course of the 20th century, the Bernardaud a Cie pottery was passed down through generations of the Bernardaud family where it still continues today producing beautiful dishware for the international marketplace.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Matching set of four plates includes two luncheon plates and two bread-and-butter plates
• Stamped on back with maker's mark and distributor's mark 

{CONDITION}

In beautiful yet slightly shabby condition, these plates contain no chips, cracks, spots, or staining with the exception of one pencil point-size chip on the scalloped edge of one of the bread plates. The gold filigree is wearing lightly in some areas along both the outer and inner rim.  This natural and authentic aging gives these 120-year-old plates a really beautiful aesthetic. 

{SIZE}

Each luncheon plate measures 8.5" inches in diameter.  Each bread plate measures 6.25" inches in diameter. Together this set of four plates weighs 2.4 lbs.