Antique Creil Montereau “Chateau de Charlton” Octagonal Plate 23cm

This attractive octagonal plate is an antique French transfer-printed example from the celebrated Creil‑Montereau faience works, dating to the mid‑19th century. Measuring approximately 23 cm in diameter, it features a finely detailed grey‑green transfer scene titled “Chateau de Charlton, Comté de Wilts”, depicting the English country house at Charlton in Wiltshire. The composition shows the château in perspective on a gentle rise, framed by trees and lawns, an image characteristic of the Franco‑British “vues de châteaux” services that were popular with the Creil factory’s international clientele.

The plate is formed with a distinctive shaped rim, giving an overall octagonal outline. A narrow line border circles the cavetto, drawing the eye into the central landscape, while the broad rim is decorated with a neoclassical grey transfer of winged female masks and thunderbolt trophies alternating with small cartouches. The outer edge is finished with a hand‑applied dark line which accentuates the unusual geometry of the piece. The restrained palette and crisp engraving are typical of Creil’s refined mid‑century productions, bridging the aesthetic between late Empire taste and early Victorian romanticism.

On the reverse is the printed circular Creil‑Montereau factory mark, now softly impressed in the glaze but still legible, together with an impressed “CREIL” mark and potter’s or size numeral. These marks confirm manufacture at the Creil works in Oise, northern France, famous for its cream‑bodied earthenware and high‑quality transfer printing, and place the plate in the period after the union of Creil and Montereau (circa 1840–1875). The body is a fine, relatively light earthenware with an off‑white glaze, consistent with French “terre de pipe” or creamware of the era rather than porcelain.

Condition is described as good for its age and use. Under close inspection, the images show typical utensil wear and surface scratch marks to the glaze, especially on the reverse where the plate has rested on surfaces, as well as minor speckling and a few small firing imperfections from manufacture. The printed decoration remains clear, with only light rubbing to the border motifs and edge line commensurate with age. There are no obvious chips, hairline cracks or structural repairs visible in the photographs, making it a sound and attractive display piece.

This plate would appeal to collectors of Creil‑Montereau ceramics, transfer‑printed wares, and French interpretations of English architectural views. Its combination of French manufacture, English subject, and unusual octagonal form makes it ideal for wall display, incorporation into a framed arrangement of antique prints, or as a focal piece in a curated table setting of mixed 19th‑century creamwares. The 23 cm size corresponds roughly to a dinner or large dessert plate, giving it good visual presence while remaining easy to place on a shelf, dresser, or in a cabinet.

Whether acquired as part of a broader collection of antique French faience, or as a single decorative accent for an interior with classical, country‑house or grand‑tour themes, this Creil plate offers both historic interest and understated elegance. Its carefully engraved view, titled in French, captures the 19th‑century fascination with notable buildings and travel, and the piece stands as a representative example of the technical skill and cosmopolitan outlook of the Creil‑Montereau factory at its height.