"Fables are like a basket of strawberries. You begin by selecting the largest and best, but, little by little, you eat first one, then another, till at last the basket is empty."

~ Madame de Sévigné

For generations, French schoolchildren have memorized and recited fables as part of the national curriculum. No author's fables are more beloved that Jean de La Fontaine's, originally aimed at adults but then adapted for children.

This delightful collection of plates, found at market outside of Paris, illustrates six of La Fontaine's beloved fables, including les voleuers et l'ane (the thieves and the donkey), le loup et l'agneau (the wolf and the lamb), le loup et le chien (the wolf and the dog), la cigale et la fourmi (the cicada and the ant), le coq et le renard (the cock and the fox), and le loup plaidant contre le renard par-devant le singe (the wolf pleading against the fox in front of the monkey).

Produced in the late 19th century by the famed potters of Creil et Montereau, these plates often referred to as "talking plates" would have been used at the table or as decoration, and are now beautiful treasures of a much simpler time. They are sure to pique your imagination with their charming illustrations that offer a glimpse of a bygone era. 

Each plate is sold individually and is strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In good antique condition with discreet signs of wear commensurate with their age. 8.25"D. Choose specific plate from the drop down menu

Learn More About Creil & Montereau Pottery

The Creil & Montereau pottery factory was founded in 1840 by the merger of two separate French factories. The two pottery factories, each established in the early 18th century, were attempting to manufacture a faience fine (which requires a very white body under a lead glass) to rival the increasingly successful Queens ware perfected by Josiah Wedgwood. The Montereau factory was established by Jean Rognon in the village of Montereau-sur-le-Jard in 1720. The potteries at Montereau were fully incorporated with the works at Creil from 1840-1895 as the Faïenceries de Creil et Montereau. The Creil ceramics manufacture was founded in 1797 and was heavily influenced by the neoclassical styles of Wedgwood and other English makers. A succession of directors and proprietors of the Creil factory ultimately brought the 1840 merger of the two factories under Louis-Martin Lebeuf and Jean Baptiste Milliet. The Creil-Montereau Factory later operated under two Englishmen, father George Vernon and his son, until 1849 and finally Henry Barluet, the mayor of Creil, under whose leadership the factory thrived until its closing in 1895 following a devastating fire.

The Criel & Montereau pottery continued at the Monereau factory until 1920.

Learn More About French "Talking Plates"

Often illustrating famous French battles or wars, plates like this would give a village patriot a “memory boost" about a battle or war he was a part of, or proud of. These historical plates, recorded France’s most illustrious wars. Collecting plates that portrayed France in its glory days on the battle fields around the world became quite popular, and true infatuation for collecting historical faience plates swept over 19th century France.

Yet other Assiettes Parlantes illustrate the months of the year, or seasons, professions; anything that had appeal to the French buying public in the mid to late 1800’s can be found on these sets of plates. Some of the plates have a play on words, or jeux de mots. Witty and at times a bit harsh or even risqué, each illustrates a funny saying, joke or sly humor that the French found amusing.

While these plates are referred to as “faience fine”, this refers to the ability of the transfer process to replicate finely drawn images in clear detail on the pottery, not that they are of fine quality porcelain on par with Limoges, for example. French potteries that made the parlantes plates could produce a vast amount of plates per day, with each worker able to complete 200 or more plates daily. Potteries creating commemorative dish ware were in full production by the 1860’s and some of the most famous French producers of this type of pottery include Gien, Creil et Montage, Keller et Guerin, Choisy-le-Roi, Digoin and Sarreguemines.

These plates are the darlings of designers and collectors alike, as they are wonderful to display in a hutch, hang on the wall flanking an antique French mirror, or placed on stands on a mantel.

(Courtesy of Frenchgardenhouse.com)