{"product_id":"antique-french-faience-oval-plate-bertrand-opaque-surfine-blue-flower-basket","title":"Antique French Faience Oval Plate | Bertrand Opaque Surfine | Blue Flower Basket","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis antique French faience oval plate has a small blue flower basket at the center that gives the whole piece its charm. Roses and foliage spill from the basket in a soft blue transfer design. It is simple but detailed enough to ask for some attention. It has this wonderful balance between beauty, age and usefulness that is just charming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe underside is marked Bertrand, Opaque Surfine, beneath a crowned crest. Opaque was the French term for a hard white earthenware (ironstone) made to resemble porcelain at a more approachable price. This piece likely dates from the second half of the 19th century, consistent with the mark, material and style.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe border is one of the best details. A row of deep blue triangles runs around the rim, applied by hand rather than printed. Each one sits a little differently from the next. It was handmade and it definitely shows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe white earthenware body is heavy for its size, with fine crazing across the glaze and a cream tone that has settled with age. There is wear to the painted rim at the widest points of the oval, where decades of handling have softened the surface. These are the details that connect the plate to more than a century of French tables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, it would be beautiful on a sideboard with a stack of linen napkins or put to use holding cherries, bread, cheese or other small fruit. It would equally love to be displayed with other blue and white French faience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beauty here is the age and the softness of the blue... plus the creamy white glaze just brings it all together. This is a wonderful serving piece that has already lived a long life and is ready to continue to serve!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Provence Collection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53732871373143,"sku":"FAI-063","price":285.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/4686\/4215\/files\/antique-french-faience-oval-plate-blue-flower-basket-2.jpg?v=1780907805","url":"https:\/\/theprovencecollection.com\/products\/antique-french-faience-oval-plate-bertrand-opaque-surfine-blue-flower-basket","provider":"The Provence Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}