Royal Doulton Sevres Green & Gold Gilt Encrusted Dinner Plate

This elegant Royal Doulton dinner plate showcases the factory’s interpretation of the highly sought‑after “Sevres green” ground, richly embellished with gilt encrusted ornament. Dating from the early to mid‑20th century, as indicated by the printed Royal Doulton England backstamp with lion and crown, the piece represents the firm’s luxury output aimed at the fine hotel and grand domestic market. Measuring approximately 10½ inches (26.5–27 cm) in diameter, it is a full dinner plate and would originally have formed part of an extensive formal service.

The plate is made in fine white porcelain with a gently scalloped, lobed rim. The wide border is divided into a series of cartouches reserved in white against a soft but vivid Sevres‑style green. Each cartouche contains an urn overflowing with stylised flowers, framed by scrolling rococo flourishes. Between the cartouches run vertical gilt devices of trailing foliage, swags and classical scrollwork, giving an impression of continuous movement around the plate. The green ground has been carefully applied, leaving crisp edges to the white reserves, while the gilding is heavily worked and appears both painted and partially raised, often referred to as “gilt encrusted” decoration.

A narrow inner band of intricate tooled gilding encircles the cavetto and is echoed by a further band at the very outer rim of the plate. These concentric lines of rich gold not only reinforce the structure of the design but also protect the plate from wear in use. The central well is left plain white, a deliberate choice intended to showcase food while also providing a visual contrast to the opulent border. The combination of green, white and gold evokes 18th‑century French Sevres prototypes, a style widely revived for luxury tableware in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods.

The underside carries the printed green Royal Doulton mark with crowned lion and circular “Royal Doulton England” legend, together with a hand‑applied pattern or date code impressed near the rim. This mark confirms production at one of Royal Doulton’s English factories and places the plate after the granting of the Royal Warrant in 1902. Surviving examples of this pattern are often found as part of commissioned services for prestigious households, and the quality of the gilding and the complexity of the border design support that attribution.

For collectors, this plate is attractive both as a decorative display piece and as a usable item of fine table porcelain. The ornate border reads strongly when mounted on a wall or displayed in a cabinet, yet the blank centre allows the plate still to function for formal dining. It harmonises well with other Sevres‑inspired wares and with plainer gold‑banded services. The craftsmanship visible in the crisp transfer outlines, meticulous gilt tracery and careful hand finishing exemplifies Royal Doulton’s high standards at the time and makes this dinner plate a desirable addition to any collection of 20th‑century English porcelain or gilt‑encrusted fine china.