12 old talking plates from Sarreguemines – Discoverers & Inventors

Set of 12 vintage talking plates from the famous pottery of Digoin & Sarreguemines, whose activity dates back to 1790. This is the "Discoverers and Inventors" series, printed in black and pink on a white background, and includes 12 pieces: Chappe, Christopher Columbus, Jacquart, Galileo, Salomon de Caus, Berthold Schwarz, Joseph & Etienne Montgolfier, Benjamin Franklin, Gutenberg, Bernard Palissy, Parmentier, Jenner. A true fashion phenomenon in the 19th century, the fine earthenware plates known as "talking" feature a historical and legendary decor. The subjects cover, among other things, military life, hunting, monuments, or the customs of urban and rural French society. Fables, rebuses, proverbs, and popular songs are also represented or inscribed on these often satirical or caricatured pieces. The talking plate is not a 19th-century invention, but it experienced unprecedented development in France at that time, thanks to the serial printing process of the decor: from a single engraved original, it is now possible to reproduce a decor in multiple copies without the need for painters. The series are generally made up of twelve plates and are numbered or not, most often captioned, with or without a title, dealing with the same subject. They constitute a sort of inventory in twelve vignettes, sometimes with a didactic dimension. Each plate makes sense individually and within the series. The talking plates were either ornamental or used as dessert ware. Some series were collectible items displayed on showcase cabinets, above fireplaces, or hung on walls. Others were objects of entertainment, with the decor gradually revealed during the meal. For collectors and enthusiasts of antique tableware. Diameter 19.5 cm.