Porcelain Dinner Service, “vieux Nyon” Design, First Third Of The 20th Century

Porcelain dinner service, “Vieux Nyon” design, first third of the 20th century
Porcelain dinner service decorated in the style of Nyon porcelain, consisting of pieces from two manufacturers: Martin Charles in Limoges and Langenthal in Switzerland.
The hand-painted design consists of a scattering of roses, flower buds, and small polychrome blossoms distributed across a white background. The rims are accented with a serrated gold frieze and gold fillets.
An examination of the marks reveals two sources of origin. The twelve dessert plates bear the marks of the Swiss manufacturer Langenthal, corresponding to production between 1918 and 1923. The other pieces are marked “Martin Charles, Limoges,” a manufacturer and decorator active between 1906 and 1935.
Some pieces also feature a blue-painted mark depicting the Nyon fish, accompanied by the initials “LD.” The fish is the historic emblem of the Nyon factory. To date, the initials “LD” have not been definitively attributed.
The set includes:
24 dinner plates;
12 soup bowls;
12 dessert plates;
12 dessert bowls;
1 covered vegetable dish;
2 oval platters;
3 round deep platters;
2 small serving dishes.
For a total of 69 pieces.
This set is evidence of the production of porcelain decorated in the “Vieux Nyon” style during the first third of the 20th century. It also illustrates a common practice at the time of decorating white porcelain from different manufacturers to create uniform dinnerware sets.