Who, What and When: A Short History of Oyster Plates

By Nancy Clark Brand

Oyster plates were created for use during the opulent middle Victorian era, circa 1870. The very wealthy Victorians [the nobility in Europe, the financiers, entrepreneurs, and landed gentry in the United States] were lavish in their dining. As many as 10 courses would be served on special occasions and 5 to 8 courses were normal. In keeping with this opulence, and oft times corpulence, each course had a special plate and a special sterling utensil. Oysters, as the seafood course, also had a special plate and a special fork.

Very early oyster plates were designed to hold crushed ice or clean packed snow with the oysters in their shells nestled firmly on top. Each course plate was placed on a service plate or charger. The oyster plate, however, with its melting ice was a messy sight, unacceptable to proper dining. To get rid of the messy melting, an oyster plate with larger defined depressions was created. The oysters in their shells could rest comfortably and pleasingly in the space without the ice or packed snow.

Again this plate design had its drawbacks - the shells of the oyster scratched the beautiful designs, and lovely expensive china was being ruined.

Another new design was created; this time the depression to hold the oyster was created to be similar in shape to the oyster shell itself. A plump raw oyster was presented to the diner on a plate with no ice and no shell. It is these plates that are now the most sought after.

The exquisite decorations on some of these plates are works of art. With the advent of the disappearing servant class and the beginning of WWI, the use of oyster plates - other than in restaurants and a very few wealthy homes - declined. The emerging middle class both in Europe and the United States did not have the time or the money to spend on unnecessary luxuries.

Well-known European china factories made most oyster plates. There were, however, also some wonderful and unusual plates made here in the United States. If one is interested in collecting oyster plates [they are an investment] one should be knowledgeable, and/or find an antiques dealer whom one can trust.

There are two definitive books on oyster plates, devoted solely to the subject. One can also find them mentioned in books on majolica, Haviland, Minton, Quimper, and other books on china. The latter books will give cursory mention to oyster plates, but these books can be found in local libraries.

Like most specialized pieces of china or silver, oyster plates were very expensive when they were created. Today they are still very pricey. There are collectors who have hundreds displayed on their walls and in cabinets. Those collectors have a two-fold pleasure in viewing these plates - one, they are very beautiful and pleasing to the eye, and two, they continue to soar in value.

Nancy Clark Brand has been an antique collector for almost 40 years, and has had a successful shop, Magnolia Antiques, for the past seven years. Four years ago, moving along with the times, Ms. Brand started a web based business, magnoliaantiques.com, where her collection of oyster plates for sale can be seen. She also does antiques shows on the East Coast and has oyster plates and other items at the Williamsburg Antique Mall, Williamsburg, Virginia and the Main Street Art and Antiques Mall on Main St. in Kilmarnock, Virginia.

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