Found at market on our recent trip to Paris, we are delighted to offer this exceptional Antique Sardine Plate designed by Parisian artist Georges Dreyfus. Produced in the late 1800s as a promotional piece for the Amieux Frères brand of gourmet foods, the plate is a gorgeous example of Belle Époque advertising.

With lush, colorful transferware decoration covering the entire plate, four hand-painted applied majolica sardines form a frame at center designed to securely hold a square tin of sardines. Within the frame, reads the following exhortation (roughly translated from French): 

Around the rim of the plate are the advertising slogans: Les Vraies Sardines Amieux Frères (The Real Amieux Brothers' Sardines) and Portent La Devise: Toujours Mieux (Carry the Motto: Always Better). On the back of the plate is a list of various Amieux Fréres products - everything from peas to tuna.

With its historic provenance, this unique serving piece is sure to be a captivating addition to your collection and serve your sardines in charming antique French style.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition. 9.25" in diameter.

Learn More About Amieux Frères

In 1856, Jean "Maurice" Amieux, a native of the Hautes-Alpes region, joined forces with one of his brothers-in-law and created Amieux et Carraud. Later, Jean's children, Maurice and Émile took over the business and changed the name to Amieux-Frères. Specializing in high-quality fruit preserves, mustards, and tinned foods (mostly sardines, vegetables and patés), they won a gold medal at the 1878 Paris World’s Fair.

By 1885, the company had a total of 6 factories with approximately 2,000 employees producing six million tins of various foodstuffs annually. By 1899, those numbers had doubled with a production of 12 million tins and 11 plants across all of France.

By the 1960s, the canneries of Amieux Frères had all closed and the business was sold. The brand still exists today, but no longer offers sardines.