Set Of 4 Paris Porcelain Plates Attributed To The Manufacture De La Reine, Circa 1790

An elegant set consisting of two dinner plates and two soup plates made of hard-paste porcelain from Paris, produced during the reign of Louis XVI, circa 1785–1790.

The plates feature a beautiful contoured shape, characteristic of Parisian porcelain from the late 18th century. The rim is adorned with a delicate garland of barbel fish finely painted in shades of blue, accented with a gold border. The center of the plate features an elegant scatter of small polychrome flowers and gold leaves, rendered with great lightness, allowing the whiteness and quality of the porcelain to shine through.

This design belongs to the most sought-after repertoire of Parisian porcelain from the Louis XVI period. It bears a strong resemblance to the productions of the Manufacture de la Reine, founded on Rue Thiroux in Paris by André-Marie Lebœuf under the patronage of Queen Marie-Antoinette. The so-called “barbeaux” designs constitute one of the aesthetic hallmarks of this manufactory and can be found on several tableware sets and shaped pieces preserved in public collections as well as in major specialized auctions.

The reverse side of the plates bears an old handwritten inscription whose most likely reading is “Ma de la Reine”. While not an official manufacturer’s mark, this old annotation could correspond to a service identification—such as a restock—or a commercial notation, reinforcing the hypothesis of a connection to the Manufacture de la Reine. This inscription remains a particularly interesting testament to the history of these pieces.