5 old ceramic speakers HB Choisy

Set of 5 vintage talking plates from the famous pottery Hautin Boulenger & Cie, whose activity dates back to 1836. This is a series of proverbs with a black and green design on a white background. Stamped on the reverse: Manufacture de Porcelaine de Choisy – H & B. A true fashion phenomenon in the 19th century, the so-called "talking" earthenware plates feature a historical and captioned design. 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 design: from a single engraved original, it is now possible to reproduce a design in multiple copies without the need for painters. The series are generally made up of twelve plates and may be 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 collector's items displayed on showcase cabinets, above fireplaces, or hung on walls. Others were objects of entertainment, with the design gradually revealed during the meal. For collectors and enthusiasts of antique tableware. Sold as is, with faded decoration in places and a chip on the back. Diameter 18.5 cm.