Oyster Plates 101

Antique oyster plate collection
Fran and Carol Drury. Wilmington, NC
Plates circa 1850-1890

The Victorian era gave us lettuce forks, horseradish spoons, lemon picks, tomato servers, bacon forks, marrow scoops, baked potato tines and cake breakers solely for cutting egg white cakes. So, of course, a plate designed specifically to serve oysters in the dining room would not only be plausible, but necessary - the oyster shells would scratch the porcelain plates and that simply would not do.

While I know a little something about oysters and oyster shuckers, I knew nothing about oyster plates. So I invited myself to Fran and Carol Drury's house for a visit and a tutorial. They have been collecting for the last 20 years and have acquired a thoughtful assemblage of antique oyster plates.

Here's the basics:

Bottom of plate
designed for sitting on plate of ice

TYPES OF OYSTER PLATES

One type of oyster plate was not enough for the Victorians.  They required three different types of oyster plates, specific to its use:

1. Serving oysters on the half shell with ice
2. Serving oysters on the half shell without ice
3. Serving oysters sans shell, directly on the plate

The first two plates are not popular with most collectors because the shells scratched the plates.  The third plate, designed to hold shucked oysters in their liquor, are the ones collectors covet.

OYSTER PLATE MAKERS

Naming all the manufacturers of oyster plates is near impossible, but here are a few companies that are a good place for new collectors to start looking out for:

• Union Porcelain Works (America)
• Quimper (France)
• Haviland and Co. (Limoges, France)
• Minton (England)
• Wedgwood (England)
• George Jones & Sons (England)
• Longchamps (France)

GETTING STARTED

The Drurys started collecting oyster plates to help solve a problem many couples have - she wanted to stop in every antique store she could find and he was tired of sitting on the bench outside.  They decided to start collecting something - and settled on oyster plates.  They follow just one rule: they both have to love it.

Hallmark for Haviland & Co.

For new collectors, Carol recommends that you first check the hallmark on the back of the plate.  Each manufacturer has its own hallmark, and most have several hallmarks.  Carol lent me a copy of her well-loved book Collecting Oyster Plates by Jeffrey Snyder, which includes examples of hallmarks.  It's also a great resource for new collectors.

While you're looking at the bottom of the plate for the hallmark, also take a look at the part of the plate that rests on the table.  There should be signs of wear.  No wear may indicate that it's a new plate, Carol says.  Finally, flip the plate over to the front side and look at its overall condition.  Check to make sure there are no chips, that the paint has not worn off and that the gold plating is pristine.

BUY WHAT YOU LIKE

Above all else, Carol recommends that you buy what you like.  I'm still window shopping, but I had two favorites from their collection. The first was what collectors call a "turkey" plate. If you look carefully, the painted oyster shells and oyster wells together look like a turkey. We can thank President Rutherford B. Hayes for the quirky design. There's more to the story of course and I'll write about it in a future post.

"Turkey" plate.  Haviland & Co.

"Turkey" plate.  Haviland & Co.

The second was this plate that I loved: coy fish separate the oyster wells.

Here's a few more from the Drury's collection:

Not a scallop plate.
This oyster plate was made for French Belon oysters,
which resemble rounder scallop shells.

Six-well Majolica plate.

Six-well oyster plate. Quimper (France)

You remember how I mentioned that the plates that were made for oysters in the shell on ice were not popular with collectors?  Here's a beautiful exception.  This three-well oyster plate is from Haviland & Co.

Three-well oyster plate designed to be served with a plate a ice.
Set includes matching shooters.

Most Victorian oyster plates were made in Europe, with a notable exception: New York-based Union Porcelain Works produced beautiful plates that are now highly collectible. Their distinctive designs make them easy to spot.

Oyster plate from Union Porcelain Works.
Image from Brooklyn Museum of Arts.

FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE

For new collectors, Carol - who prefers porcelain Haviland & Co. plates - recommends going to a reputable dealer. The plates can range in price from $90 for plain plates to $200 - $500 for more colorful or ornate plates. Rare plates are in the thousands of dollars. Sets of oyster plates are not as in demand as most collectors prefer to buy one of each design.


Here's a few links to reputable dealers to get you started:

• Ruby Lane Antiques
• Kilmarnock Antique Gallery
• Strawser Auction Group
• John Collier's Antiques and Decoys
• Replacements, Ltd

Search for "antique oyster plates"

Carol prefers to touch each plate she buys to make sure the hallmarks and wear are as they should be. If you decide to start your collection online, it's important to type in the correct search term: "antique oyster plates." Otherwise, you'll end up with a modern plate that may be pretty and fun, but not collectible.

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Carol Drury

Thank you Fran and Carol for sharing your collection with me and everyone at Oyster Stew. I have a new appreciation for the Victorian obsession with oysters. The wheels are turning for a future oyster party using antique oyster plates. If you have pics of yourself and friends using oyster plates, please send me a note at Oyster Stew.  I'd love to post it. Happy collecting!