RZM Fine Arts and Antiques Inc Presents: Ask the Appraiser

Greetings to you Jon on this cold March morning. I recently inherited a rather large set of dinnerware from my now deceased aunt. The set contains 98 pieces of which I’ve enclosed several pictures for your inspection. She had a very large apartment in New York City and enjoyed having lavish dinner parties. In the 1950s and 1960s she was what one might call “a Socialite.” I vaguely remember when I was 12 years old meeting Eleanor Roosevelt at one of her parties. The photographs I have provided are of the front and back of the set I now own. I am requesting information relative to its age, origin and if possible, the company that made it. I completely understand the market for dinnerware is dead, due to its lack of use these days. Does my set have any value at all? I have searched high and low on the internet, but I cannot find a similar set. Unfortunately, there is no manufacturer’s name on it, just some weird blue shaped symbol on the bottom of each piece. This may be a tough one for you to identify! 

Claire

You are correct in mentioning that the value of porcelain dinnerware has certainly decreased substantially in recent years. However, there are always certain exceptions, and your wonderful set is just that exception I’m referring to. The set pictured is a very fine French Sevres partial gilt hard paste porcelain dinnerware suite, circa the third quarter of the 19th century. Each piece in this set features a hand painted romantic scene of young amorous couples, in a bucolic country setting, with floral motif reserves against an azure, blue ground. Please note the intricate beautiful multicolor palette that truly showcases the art of French culture. The name Sevres has long been associated with the production of exceptionally high-quality porcelain. As the porcelain factory of the French state, Sevres were regularly called upon during the 18th and 19th centuries to produce diplomatic gifts. It is a consequence of this role that Sevres produced some of the most famous porcelain dinner services, vases and plaques. Of which your set is certainly one. To put this in perspective, King Louis XV in 1740 funded a ceramic factory in Vincennes to compete with the renowned German Meissen porcelain factory. The factory from the very beginning operated as the “Manufacture Royale.” In 1756 this factory was relocated to Serves and renamed ‘Manufacture Nationale De Sevres. In short, what you possess is “the best of the best.” The “weird blue shaped symbol” you make mention of, is actually the interlaced letters L S. The correct Sevres trademark for most of its 18th and 19th century porcelain production. Based on some research and a conversation with a colleague of mine that specializes in antique French porcelain, it is my pleasure to inform you that the current value of this set of fine Sevres porcelain is 5500 USD. This appraisal is based on the number of pieces in this set and the presumption each piece has remained in excellent condition. No chips, cracks or restoration. I would like to add that having the coffee service is a huge plus. Adding 30% to the set’s value. One last bit of important advice. Please never, never put this set of dinnerware in the dish washing machine! Remember, each piece is all hand painted. Thank you for submitting this set for my appraisal.