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$189.00
The Piece
French Souvenir Plate – St. George’s Hall, Liverpool
France, circa 1900–1920
A finely detailed French-made souvenir plate depicting Liverpool, centered on St. George’s Hall and the surrounding Lime Street corridor. Rendered in sepia-toned transfer print, the scene captures horse-drawn traffic, early streetlamps, and Edwardian urban movement, offering a period snapshot of Liverpool at the height of its maritime and commercial influence.
The plate was produced in France for the British souvenir market, a common practice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when French ceramic factories supplied continental-quality wares for export and tourism.
Historical Context
Between 1900 and 1920, Liverpool stood as one of the world’s most important port cities. Souvenir wares like this were sold to travelers and visitors as commemorative objects, intended for display rather than table use.
French factories were especially active in this market, producing transfer-decorated plates with finely engraved city views, often finished with warm monochrome palettes and glossy crackle glazes. These pieces bridged decorative art and popular memory, valued less for rarity and more for narrative and place.
The visible craquelure in the glaze is consistent with early 20th-century production and long-term age, and should be understood as a characteristic rather than damage.
Product Details
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Object | Souvenir display plate |
| Date | Circa 1900–1920 |
| Origin | France |
| Depicted Location | St. George’s Hall and Lime Street, Liverpool |
| Material | Glazed ceramic |
| Decoration | Sepia-toned transferware cityscape |
| Markings | “Made in France” stamped to underside |
| Glaze | Natural age-related craquelure |
| Condition | Very good antique condition; no cracks or chips observed; surface craquelure consistent with age |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
This plate works best as a wall or shelf object, where its fine architectural detail and tonal warmth can be appreciated up close. It pairs naturally with books, maps, or travel ephemera and adds narrative depth to gallery walls focused on European history, urban studies, or early tourism.
It’s not precious. It’s evocative. And it does exactly what it was made to do.
From Viridian Eclection
We value objects that document how people remembered places, not just how places looked. This French-made Liverpool souvenir plate preserves an early 20th-century view of a city in motion, captured through the lens of international craftsmanship and everyday travel culture.