French antique 10 place ironstone dinner service, bird & floral transferware 'Japonais' c1880 Longwy, France

A beautiful French antique dinner service in a stunning and rare design with place settings for up to 10 people, plus an extensive set of matching serving dishes. From Longwy, France in the pattern "Japonais' from late 19thC Aesthetic Movement in France. In excellent antique condition, this set remains very usable and displays beautifully.

Every piece has a different design, with exquisitely rendered birds, insects, flowers and foliage with Japanese-inspired motifs - cherry blossom, wading herons, cranes, swifts, dragonflies, butterflies and so many other glorious details await discovery in this inimitable pattern. The serve ware pieces show barbotine relief molded details, with leaves, acorns, scrolls and twisting forms all adding to the depth and interest in these fabulous pieces.

This magnificent set was produced at the height of the Aesthetic movement in France in the late 19th Century and reflects the fascination with the motifs of Japanese design and ceramics, as the craze for 'Japonisme' was sweeping Parisian salons of the day. These classic motifs include insects and birds, along with the distinctive minimalist florals so revered in Japanese design traditions. This service includes a remarkable diversity of imagery - swallows and cranes, reeds and cherry blossoms, - all rendered in a beautiful, deep hue of navy / midnight blue, with richly detailed images in a blue flow finish.

The set includes: 10 flat plates, 10 soup plates, 10 side plates, 1 soupiere with lid, 1 small soupiere with lid, one large oval flat serving platter, 1 gravier (gravy boat), two oval raviers (vegetable serving dishes) and 1 tall footed compotier.

CONDITION -
Overall, this set is in very good to excellent antique condition, and remains in very usable condition with a some patina of age and small faults on some of the pieces, mainly on the serve ware. All specific damage is itemized below. Overall, there is light crazing, small chips to the rims, scratches, tea stain patina and a few small cracks. Also normal signs of use and wear such as light scratches, a few very small areas of glaze loss, a few small areas of discoloration, etc. Also, it is manufactured using more 'handmade' processes than today, and you may see areas of glaze smudging, glaze spots, bubbles under the glaze as is normal for transferware and part of the vintage charm of the items. Overall, this set is in satisfactory to good condition for its age of 100+ years - it remains usable and will display well for years to come.

The set includes the following. Unless otherwise detailed, pieces are in very good to excellent condition:
- 10 Dinner plates (some slight size variation between 23.2cm and 23.9cm diameter).
- 10 soup plates (some slight size variation between 24.2 cm to 23.2 diameter height 3.3 cm)
- 10 entrée / side plates (21cm diameter) one with a chip to its base, the size of an apple seed
- 1 Soupiere / tureen with lid (Diameter 25cm x H 14.5cm W 28cm with handles H 25cm incl. lid)
- 1 Round shallow serving dish with lid (Diameter 25.5cm x H 7cm H 16.5cm incl. lid) two small chips to the underside of the rim, the largest is the size of an apple seed
- 1 large round serving platter (30.5cm diameter x 3.5 cm high) surface hairline of 3.5cm non penetrating but discolored
- 1 large oval serving platter (L 34.5cm x W 26cm x H 4cm) two small surface marks
- 1 sauciere (gravy boat) (L25cm dish x H 10cm x W13 cm, serving bowl L 22.7cm x , W 13cm inc handles). One shallow rim chip, orange seed sized
- 2 lozenge-shaped ravier serving dishes - 25.5cm long x 14.5cm wide x 3cm high. Each has a small shallow rim chip the size of an apple seed, one has small areas of discoloration its serving surface
- 1 Tall footed Compotier (diameter 23.7cm x H 9.7cm)

An exquisite pattern this lovely set will be a treasure to enjoy for a lifetime, truly a collector's item, a beautiful way to add some authentic antique French elegance to your life!


Feel free to ask any questions or to request more photos :)

Please note that the preparation time for this item will be up to 10 working days to ensure the best possible packaging and shipping solution for you. I will be using all my skills as a former gallery owner to ensure that this treasure makes its way safely to your home. Please contact me if you require the shipment to be expedited for any reason and I will do my best to accommodate your needs.

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Notes on shipping -

I always shop around to ensure the best possible packaging and shipping solution for you. Rest assured I will be using all my skills as a former art gallery owner to ensure that this treasure makes its way safely to your home. I have shipped literally hundreds of fragile items to every continent over the past 20 years. Your shipment will be fully insured against loss and damage in transit so you can buy with confidence.

I will always refund shipping overages. Etsy shipping charges are not always accurate to every destination - please enquire if you would like an exact quote for fully-insured shipping to your destination.

I am very happy to combine shipping so please get in touch if you like multiple items in my store.

Free shipping within France via Mondial Relay to the Relay point of your choosing. Door to door shipping, is an extra paid service on this item which can be selected at checkout