Jan and Dick Oyster Plates, etc: Table of Contents (and Links)

The Haviland Section, added October 1998: This section has an Introductory page with a brief chronology of the Haviland family and associated manufacturers. Based on the type of back mark, which correlates somewhat with the period of production, six pages of Haviland examples are included. Beginning in 1876 examples of plates with the rather simple H&Co mark are on Haviland page 1. The next common Haviland mark was the H&Co over an L with examples on Haviland page 2 and Haviland page 3. After 1880 when Gerard, Dufraisseis and Morel (GDM) took over Charles Field Haviland's factory they continued using the CFH/GDM mark. Example pages of CFH/GDM are on Haviland page 4 and Haviland page 5. Finally, Theodore Haviland and offspring were doing their own thing with plate examples on Haviland page 6. The majority of Haviland production was between 1876 and 1900. We have put up what examples we have from the Haviland group and could add to the pages (time permitting) additional oyster plates from other collections.

Various Sections:

Section 1 - Introduction: The Home Page with a bunch of verbiage on oyster Plates and other collectibles.

Section 2 - Varieties of Oyster Plates: A hodge podge of samples from our collection consisting of images and text. This page was constructed with a fossil html editor and we did not want to mess with it so section 6 was created to carry on the varieties thing. Last update in January 1997.

Section 3 - Other Oyster collectibles: Have not done much with this but hope to add to it down the road.

Section 4 - References: A start on a few references dealing with oyster plates, cans, etc. We should be able to add additional sources of information from time to time.

Section 5 - Arnold Waring: The Oyster King and associated oyster cans.

Section 6 - More Varieties. A continuation of Page 2 starting in February 1997 with varieties being added as time permits.

Section 7 - The Single Oyster Dishes. Eight single oyster shaped dishes. Added late April 1997.

 

Manufacturers Section: The following pages will relate the oyster plates to their manufacturer with whatever few examples we have available from our collection. Started in mid July 1997.

Ahrenfeldt, C. (Charles J.) carried on his father's porcelain business and about 1894 started exporting large amounts of Limoges china from France. The dates that various marks were used is not totally clear. It seems there were about ten different underglaze and overglaze marks that were used at various times from 1893 to mid 1930's. Indications are that most the oyster plates were from the first twenty years (1893 - 1913) as this was the period they were extremely popular. Click on the above link for examples of C. Ahrenfeldt's Oyster Plates. Note the two deep dish plates (lower left side) used for placing oysters in the shell on a layer of ice.

Tielsch, C. & Co. One of a long line of German porcelain manufacturers at the original Hutschenreuther Porcelain Factory which started in Hohenberg, Bavaria in 1814. The C. Tielsch Co. located in what had become Silesia, Germany, used the blue underglaze mark beginning around 1875 and continuing into the early 1900's. The Tielsch plates are outstanding for their bright contrasting colors and gold in the decoration. Click on link to see a page of Tielsch examples.

Lanternier, A. (Al) The Lanternier family started manufacturing porcelain in the mid 1880's. Prior to this time they exported Limoges table china. The company had several marks but the only one we have on the oyster plates is the anchor with A. L., Limoges, and France. It is a mark they used from 1891 until 1941. Click Al to view various plates by him.

Straus, Lewis and Sons (L.S.&S). Lewis Straus and Sons exported Austrian and Limoges porcelain to their New York company from 1890 until the early 1920's. The overglaze exporting mark could be in blue, red, green or gray.

Gutherz, Oscar (also Mark & Gutherz). This is where our references will not let us detail much about this manufacturer or decorator. Oscar Gutherz (? and at times, his brother Edgar) where apparently an Austrian company involved in the porcelain business in Limoges in the late 1800's. The triangular mark (on the plate we show) with only the Limoges Gutherz mark was not noted in any of the more common reference books. The Mark & Gutherz Carlsbad mark seems to be fairly common on oyster plates (see Karsnitz book on Oyster Plates where they illustrate several) but we are not certain if this is Oscar, Edgar or some other Gutherz. This would be a good area for those more knowledgeable of Gutherz or his company to help out. If we receive addition information we would be happy to share it with others.

Special Page that was devoted to the first convention of the Oyster Plate & Collectibles Society to be held October 4 - 6, 1997 in Baltimore, MD. Perhaps at one time if we had traveled east by train we would have been served oysters from one of the two plates featured on this page. Click here to visit Two for the Show.

 

Oyster Collectibles from Others: Since starting this web site several people have indicated they would like to contribute unique items from their collections. The first of these submissions is from Lorraine who runs an antique service company in Illinois. Her address is; 1390 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, Illinois 60035. Click here to view three of Lorraine's oyster plates.

Links:

Oyster Farming on Willapa Bay: Our company web site (under construction).

Willapa Bay and Pacific County, Washington: General information on this region in SW Washington.

Pacific Coast Oyster Growers Association (PCOGA): Newsletter and other stuff.

Overview of shellfish products: Taylor shellfish, largest supplier of clams, oysters, mussels, etc. You can even order.

National Shellfisheries Association: Good links to other shellfish pages.