If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable. Rainier Maria Rilke

{HISTORY}

Full of country cottage charm with a delicate color palette and design, these porcelain bread and butter plates were made by Theodore Haviland in Limoges, France in 1903. It's hard to imagine a more enduring design, one that looks as classic today as it did upon debut back then. With sprays of billowy roses in pink and mint green with spring leaves and stems, this set of four, bears all the hallmarks of the exquisite craftsmanship that the Haviland family was famous for. With a scalloped edge and raised embossing, they set the stage for a delightful meal served with the prettiest presentation in mind. 

Making and selling dishes since the 1800s, the Haviland family bears one of the most interesting empire-building stories in the dish world.  There was drama to be had both in business competition and in sibling rivalries all while racing to produce the most exquisite porcelain the world would come to know. Over on the blog in 2017, we did an in-depth post on the Haviland family history.  If you missed it, read all about this fascinating family here and see how Theodore made his mark on both this prestigious china and the company's illustrious name.  

Understanding more about the history of the family helps add quite a bit of context to these four bread plates. Between the 1950s-1970s, Haviland enthusiast Arlene Sclheiger began cataloging the thousands of different patterns bearing the Haviland name. Since many Haviland patterns were not named in the factory, Arlene devised her own numerical pattern names to differentiate one Haviland design from another. It was a huge undertaking, one that consumed a large portion of her life, but it was not in vain. Her work is still the standard catalog tool used by collectors today.

These plates are part of the Schleiger 837-3 pattern, which features bright pink and mint green roses with sprigs of spring green leaves and embossed details. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Matching set of four bread plates

- Schleiger Pattern 837-3

- Colors include pastel pink, raspberry, pale teal, mint green, spring green and pine green

- Each bowl is stamped on back with the Theodore Haviland mark circa 1903

{CONDITION}

In absolutely beautiful condition. On the back of one plate, there is a small stress fracture mark, which is generally caused by someone setting the plate down too hard on a surface. This fracture does not bleed through to the front of the plate. on that same plate, there is also the tiniest of chips (pencil-point-sized) on the underside of the rim. Other than that, these plates are in perfect condition with no other chips or cracks. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Each plate measures just under 6.25" inches in diameter and weighs 5.2 oz