If you’re at all familiar with George Jones majolica you have certainly come across the two Biarritz plates the company produced as souvenirs for tourists to this French ocean resort. The question arises, why Biarritz? Well it all comes down to the fashion of the times.
The first time I ever heard of Biarritz was when I was a teenager. I followed the BBC series Upstairs Downstairs and one of the main characters, Lady Marjorie, referred to it as a favorite vacation spot for herself and her upper class friends. The series was set during England’s Edwardian period which was about forty years after the George Jones plates were executed but it immediately conveyed a certain aura to the resort. (Poor Lady Marjorie had an unhappy ending in the series not long after, going down with the Titanic.)
Apparently this interest with Biarritz all began with Victoria Hugo, the well respected author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He visited, what was then a small whaling village, in 1843 and wrote glowingly, and rather floridly, about it in his book Alpes et Pyrénées:
“I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect than Biarritz. I have never seen the old Neptune throwing joy and glory with such a force in the old Cybele. All this coast is full of humming. Gascony's sea grinds, scratches, and stretches on the reefs its never-ending whisper. Friendly population and white cheerful houses, large dunes, fine sand, great caves and proud sea, Biarritz is amazing. My only fear is Biarritz becoming fashionable"
His words became prophecy. Just a few years later Napoleon III had a home built, "Villa Eugénie” in the town. Then the railway appeared making it an easy to reach recreational spot for the masses. It soon became a fashionable resort for all of the wealthy of Western Europe. Queen Victoria, the King of Spain and other royals vacationed there regularly. It is within this framework that the Jones pottery created two souvenir plates for those fashionable tourists to take home with them.
The “Biarritz” plates date to circa 1872. This was a very busy year for George Jones. The company was hurriedly creating pieces for their exhibit at the 1873 International Exposition in Vienna. It is possible that the plates were designed to be shown at the Exposition, considering how fashionable the resort had become by this time but there is no confirmation of their appearance. In any event the plates are relatively rare and difficult to find today.
There are two designs. The first is of a man who looks like a sailor carrying a woman in the water. The second is of a woman raking the surf for clams or other sea life with a clam rake. Both plates have the same brown and green border of seaweed and colorful seashells. Only the first one mentioned has the name BIARRITZ on it but they were clearly intended as a pair.
Their rarity has these plates bringing high prices in the marketplace so if they appeal to you, expect to pay for them handsomely. Otherwise you can just be content looking at lovely images of the place today.
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