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President Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) commissioned oyster plates designed by Theodore R. Davis and executed by Haviland and Co. In this design, five figural oyster wells are surrounded by southern raccoon oysters, with the outside of their shells creating a pattern which resembles a turkey with a beak at one end and tail feathers at the other.
Karsnitz five-star rated; (only a few known or one of a kind)pages 32-33, Oyster Plates, by Jim and Vivian Karsnitz (© 1993). Snyder priced at $3,000+, almost four years ago, pages 12-13, Collecting Oyster Plates, by Jeffery B. Snyder (© 2002).
Absolutely pristine condition; beautifully decorated; no stacking wear. The photos tell the story, but the plate is even more beautiful in person.
Many designs were subsequently painted on the same turkey porcelain mold (see Snyder pages 61-76), including some identical to the Presidential set, but marked, additionally, with the 1880 patent indicia. Karsnitz pictures one from Thomas A. Edison’s set on page 34.
Turkey patterned oyster plates were so popular that other porcelain makers imitated them, notably Carl Tielsch (Silesia) and Stangl (Trenton, NJ). Indeed, the lower right, upper right and left plates depicted on Snyder pages 66, 67 and 68 respectively, are actually Tielsch designs – note the difference in the molded seaweed ribbons, the subtle difference in the plate rim and the straightness of the turkey’s throat.
Having a Haviland Presidential oyster plate is a dream for many serious collectors and if you were to have only one oyster plate, wouldn’t it be great if this were it.
The holidays are fast approaching. This would be an amazing gift for that special oyster plate collector! |
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