Antique French Talking Plate, Les Mois de l'Année à la Campagne, Digoin & Sarreguemines

Period
Early 20th century, circa 1919 to the 1920s, French

Size
7¾ inches in diameter

An antique French assiette parlante, a talking plate pairing an illustrated scene with a printed caption, from the Les mois de l'année à la campagne series by Digoin & Sarreguemines.

A red transfer-printed border runs around the rim, a scrolling leaf vine held within paneled cartouches, alternating with small rosette medallions. Each plate carries its own black transfer-printed scene in the well, a countryside activity tied to its month, captioned in French beneath.

Each plate shows wear consistent with age and use. Sold as found.

Historical Context
An assiette parlante, or talking plate, pairs an illustrated scene with a caption in the well, a genre French factories produced widely through the nineteenth and into the early twentieth century. Les mois de l'année à la campagne, the months of the year in the country, illustrates a countryside activity for each month, from a January skater to a May garden scene to an August harvest. Digoin and Sarreguemines merged into a single firm after the First World War, and this mark, a shield beneath a mural crown reading Digoin & Sarreguemines, France, dates to that merger, in use through the 1920s.

Styling Ideas
Hang it, or set it into a plate rail where the scene and border carry the wall. Use it at the table for bread or a starter course.