SALE Limoges Negro Fortune Teller Portrait Charger Reading Of The Tea Leaves French Gilt Rococo Wall Plaque Artist Signed Dubois

Antiques : Ceramics, Porcelain : Limoges : Plates & Chargers

 

A very rare and exquisite French gilt Rococo charger hand painted and signed by listed Limoges artist, Dubois. A very seldom seen portrait depicting a well to do Victorian mistress having her fortune told by her maid, or mammy as she would have been known as then. The Victorian lady nervously twirls her parasol, appearing to be apprehensive as the older, experienced slave woman performs the "reading of the tea leaves," peering into a teacup she holds, while the forgotten saucer lies on the floor in the foreground. This fantastic charger measures 13 1/4" in diameter and is signed by Dubois, the master French Limoges artist. Dubois specialized in painting portraits but very few as rare and fabulous as this one. The piece has a very lavishly gilded French Rococo edge, heavily covered in Roman coin gold. Dubois has titled the piece on the reverse, Negro Fortune Teller. It bears a Blakeman & Henderson Limoges, France porcelain factory mark. Blakeman & Henderson is well known for their highly decorated French porcelain. The piece has had a repair to the gilded edge at the seven o'clock position. On close inspection, this piece has had a professional restoration, which is the only issue that keeps this charger from being in mint condition. We find no scratches on the painting and the gold is first rate. It of course displays beautifully and no one will ever be the wiser, but we will always mention any restorations a piece has had if we find it. This is an outstanding and extremely rare example of French porcelain decorative art by one of the Limoges region's most famous artists and we have taken the restoration into consideration for pricing. In the photo, the restoration is exaggerated, it is a wonderful job. We might add that the piece came to us this way and we believe Jack Marble (please click on our Favorite Links button) would do a finer job in buffing the gold, so as fine as it is, the piece could still be better restored. Still, this is an incredible, investment quality charger you will love. Circa 1900.

Item ID: LMG-2442

--------------------
Ask us about our convenient layaway plan!