The napkin plate seems to be another of those peculiarly unique Victorian conceits. Made in a number of different bodies, napkin plates flourished in majolica, no doubt because the level of realism majolica offered. Popular in both Europe and the United States, most of the major potteries made some version of it.
For those unfamiliar with the design, a napkin plate tries to imitate the look of a napkin laid on top of a china or basket weave plate. The plate is always visible to some degree with the sole exception of the napkin designs made by Sarreguemines. These are designed to look like plates inside folded napkins.
In Great Britain, George Jones led the way with a number of different designs. Their Strawberry Server and Horse Chestnut designs are particularly well known, having been made in prodigious quantities. While white napkins are the most common on these designs I have also seen them in turquoise, cobalt and pink.
George Jones majolica strawberry server
GJ majolica chestnut plate
Jones majolica chestnut plate
George Jones majolica chestnut plate
Minton made several napkin plates.
Minton majolica individual strawberry server plate
Minton majolica individual strawberry server plate
Wedgwood's napkin plate is particularly attractive with its checkered napkin.
Wedgwood majolica Mat plate
Wedgwood majolica Mat plate
This tazza, believed to be by Fielding, is also a napkin plate.
GSH majolica napkin plate
Morley majolica napkin plate
...while on the continent, a number of companies embraced the form.
Wasmuël napkin plate souvenir from 1889 Paris Exposition
Choisy-le-Roi majolica asparagus cradle
Villeroy & Boch majolica napkin plate
Villeroy & Boch majolica napkin platter
Wasmuël napkin strawberry server
Wasmuël majolica napkin plate
Sarreguemines napkin plates
Sarreguemines majolica egg terrine
Sarreguemines majolica napkin platter
Sarreguemines majolica asparagus terrine
Sarreguemines majolica asparagus server
Sarreguemines majolica oyster basket
The egg basket and box directly above are part of the series I mentioned at the start of this post, a large series made by Sarreguemines that uses folded napkins as a basis for containers and platters. It is the idea of the napkin plate taken to its logical conclusion: a napkin by itself as a plate. You really can't take this idea any further than that!
