The oyster plate was first used during the Victorian Era when oysters on or off the half shell became both a status symbol and a delicacy.  This obsession with oysters lead to one of the most beautiful Victorian dinnerware pieces - the Oyster Plate. The plates were quite lavish and beautifully decorated.  It was not uncommon for hostesses to outdo themselves with plates filled with the half shell oysters - one more gorgeous than the next!  

Oyster plate production slowed down after WWI when the Victorian lifestyle and serving oysters fell out of favor, but these gorgeous souvenirs of that era remain today to tempt and inspire us.  

Dreamy, delicate, and romantic, these Antique Oyster Plates are exquisite treasures of a bygone era. Made in England by the venerable John Maddock & Sons potters, the charming hexagonal plates are embellished with pretty pink floral posies and brushed with gleaming gold trim highlighting all the details. With six generous wells for oysters and a center well for lemon wedges or sauce, they are sure to be beloved additions to your oyster plate collection! 

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition with overall crazing as shown in the alternate images. Measures 9.25" in diameter. Please choose specific plate from the drop down menu.

Learn More About Oyster Plates

Porcelain factories responded to the Victorian passion for oysters by designing special plates on which to serve the delicacy with elegance and style. During the long and lavish dinners characteristic of evening entertainment among the wealthy on the East Coast in the 1870s and 1880s, guests were frequently served their first course on oyster plates.

American and European porcelain factories met increasing affluence and elaborate dining etiquette with an extensive range of items designed for specific foods and beverages. Oyster plates represent one such refinement in response to a newly acquired taste for the shellfish.

*Additional Oyster Plate History courtesy of Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.