Glass and Porcelain
c. 1817 Rare "James Monroe - President of the United States" 9" French Ceramic Commemorative Portrait Desert Service Plate
c. 1817 James Monroe French Ceramic Commemorative Desert Service Plate, with Round Central Portrait Transfer, Titled "JAMES MONROE", Gold trim, Arman AIII.19a., Choice Extremely Fine.
Arman AIII.19a. This "JAMES MONROE" titled, 9" Commemorative Desert Plate features a fine central round portrait transfer of James Monroe with his name above and "President of the United States" below. The portrait and the outer edge of the plate are finished in gold trim. This rare plate is in beautiful condition with the slightest amount of trivial surface wear from light use noted for accuracy. The Armans illustrated this type on page 251 of their 1998 publication "Anglo-American Ceramics, Part I", where they estimated the value then (more than two decades ago) at $6,000 to $9,000. Exceedingly rare, we located one prior offering of a similar example that sold in a May 2009 Political Americana auction, where a mid-west company sold an identical plate for $11,352.50. This important "JAMES MONROE" Plate is attributed by the Armans to a French Desert Service that included at least sixteen portrait busts and two with naval engagements. The Armans describe this service thus: "The finest pieces of American Historical ceramics are those exquisite porcelains produced in the late Eighteenth and early Nineteenth century by several manufactories in Paris, France." This example represents a tremendous opportunity for the serious advanced collector of early Political, Historical Glass and Presidential items meant for display.