Oval ironstone platter, Clairefontaine, carnation decoration

Here is a very beautiful oval ironstone dish decorated with delicate carnation motifs reminiscent of Art Nouveau style. It is stamped underneath with the letters L and G on either side of a marine anchor, which allows us to learn more about this dish. It comes from the Clairefontaine pottery factory in Haute-Saône, and we can precisely date this dish to between 1890 and 1913, which confirms the Art Nouveau style, as the letters L and G varied over time depending on the factory's management. Léon Graves was the sixth manager since its founding in 1804, from 1890 to 1913. The pottery factory closed its doors for good in 1932. For a dish that's over a century old, it's in rather good condition, with no cracks, but it certainly shows its age: a small chip, quite discreet as it's located under the rim, and some stains and scratches. It's still usable in the kitchen, but you have to appreciate objects with a patina of age. Personally, I won't use it in the kitchen anymore (or only with a few dry goods) to ensure it lasts for decades to come. It can also serve as a trinket dish, a fruit bowl, a bread basket on a pretty festive table, or simply as a decorative piece on a piece of furniture or in a wall display. It measures 34 cm by 23 cm with a maximum height of 2.6 cm.