This is a very charming plate made by Minton in around 1885 and painted by the famous porcelain artist Antonin Boullemier. The plate has an image of three putti who are shooting birds, while a rabbit runs across the field in the foreground.
Minton was one of the pioneers of English china production alongside other great potters such as Spode, Davenport, Ridgway, Coalport and others. They were located in Staffordshire and were known specifically for their wonderfully fine white bone china and bright colours; there is a colour called "Minton Blue" which is a fresh azure blue that was very fashionable during the Victorian era. Throughout the different phases of its existence, the factory made top quality creamware, porcelain, majolica and ultimately the finest parian porcelain. Minton excelled in their decorations and gilt work; these were often executed by artists who came from the Sèvres factory in France and brought their skills with them.
This plate was decorated by the famous porcelain artist Antonin Boullemier, who was the son of a Sèvres porcelain decorator and was apprenticed and employed by Sèvres before moving the England in 1881, where he was employed by Minton. For many years he worked exclusively for Minton as one of their most celebrated artists; later on his career he started working freelance from his own studio at home for various factories. Boullemier is known for beautiful portraits, cupids and mythological subjects and both 18th Century and contemporary styles.
This plate is decorated with a very charming nearly monochrome scene of three putti shooting birds with a bow and arrow; one of the putti is telling the second how to hold the bow correctly, while the third watches in a somewhat comically critical posture. In the foreground a rabbit runs across the field, unnoticed by the putti who are focused on their hunting endeavour. To the right of the image is a beautiful formation of blackberries, a hunting rifle and a horn.
This plate is in a beautifully muted style that is close to the Aesthetic Movement, which is unusual for Boullemier; many of his pieces were more colourful and set in rich Victorian floral details and/or gilt.
The plate is marked with the puce Minton globe mark and the image is signed by the artist.
CONDITION REPORT The plate is in perfect antique condition without any damage, repairs, crazing or wear other than the odd scratch that can be expected from an antique item.
Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account.
There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Etcetera - I try to be as accurate as I can and please feel free to ask questions or request more detailed pictures.
DIMENSIONS 25cm (9.85") diameter
SHIPPING I ship worldwide from the UK. I am happy to combine shipping charges on multiple items - please contact me to discuss. In principle I do not make a profit on shipping although for simplicity's sake I charge flat shipping fees. If the fee charged greatly exceeds the actual cost I will gladly refund you the difference - at the same time if it is slightly lower I will gladly make up the difference. Please note that due to the pandemic shipping costs have generally gone up steeply, and although I use only the most reliable couriers, there can sometimes be some delays.
Minton plate, putti and rabbit scene by A. Boullemier, ca 1885
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We always aim to have happy customers so if you have an issue with or questions about your item, please contact us and we will do anything we can to resolve the issue with you!
