Atlanta Antique Gallery - Oyster Plates

Starting in the Victorian years a fashionable necessity in homes and restaurants was the oyster plate, signaling a hearty oyster consumption level. To accommodate a growing Victorian market for oyster consumption, companies in the United States and Europe supplied what are now antique oyster plates in various porcelains, Majolica pottery, glass, silver, and pewter.

Designers of antique oyster plates used many kinds of shellfish and sea life as decorations, attempting to provide unique antique oyster plates for the consumer. Creativity and design resulted in unique shapes and decorations produced by companies such as Moser Glass Co., Limoges, and various European Majolica producers. Among some of the most creative are the Union Porcelain Works, the Haviland Company, Quimper France, Minton, Wedgwood, George Jones & Sons, and Holdcroft.

Legends abound about how the oyster was tasted the first time. Whatever truth is borne out, the result has been a beautiful array of collectible antique oyster plates presented in this category by the Atlanta Antique Gallery.