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Stacks on Stacks: Savoring Summer à la Française with French Oyster Plates

Whether you love them or loathe them, oysters have long been considered a delicacy enjoyed by the rich and famous throughout various cultures and time periods. From raw to Rockefeller, these prized shellfish have graced the tables of Roman emperors, French kings, and American politicians. Their allure lies not only in their taste but also in their exclusivity and rarity — factors that have contributed to the oyster’s status as a symbol of opulence. And like the shellfish they’ve served since the early 1800s, antique oyster plates remain highly sought after by collectors and designers for their beauty and craftsmanship, as well as their storied place in culinary history.

 


Mix of Antique French Oyster Plates and Platters
 

The Rise of the Oyster Plate

As the oyster’s popularity soared during the 19th century, restaurants, bars, and grand hotels began serving the delicacy on beautifully crafted plates made specifically for presenting oysters on the half shell. It didn’t take long for fashionable Parisian hostesses to embrace the trend, elevating the humble mollusk to new heights with elaborate table settings.

 

Delightfully decorative and entirely poetic in purpose, these charming plates conjure visions of sun-dappled lunches along the coast of Brittany or candlelit holiday feasts in a Parisian salon. Designed in the 19th century to cradle oysters on the half shell, French oyster plates have become beloved objets d’art — treasured for their delicate beauty, their whimsy, and their unmistakable sense of place. Few antiques whisper of the sea and the art of entertaining quite like a well-loved oyster plate.

 

Le Déjeuner d’Huîtres and Rococo Indulgence

Nothing captures the indulgence of this oyster-loving era quite like Le Déjeuner d'huîtres (The Oyster Dinner), painted in 1735 by Jean-François de Troy. Commissioned by Louis XV and once displayed in the royal dining room at Versailles, the scene is pure Rococo revelry. Powdered courtiers in embroidered silks raise shallow champagne coupes as oysters are passed with carefree abandon. The air is filled with laughter, luxury, and the clink of crystal. 

 

It’s not just a portrait of aristocratic appetite, but a visual feast of flirtation, frivolity, and French folly. And while Marie Antoinette herself wasn’t yet at Versailles when this fête took place, it’s easy to imagine her approving of the scene’s lavish flair — or sipping bubbly from the now iconic coupes said to have been modeled after her bust. After all, no one embodies French indulgence quite like she does.

 


Le Déjeuner d’huîtres (The Oyster Dinner), Jean-François de Troy, 1735. Musée Condé, Château de Chantilly
 

From Sea to Table

Stacks on stacks — because one oyster plate is never enough! Whether styled on a summer table or used as wall art, these pieces add coastal charm to any setting. Each plate is a small work of art, designed to cradle oysters in individual wells while showcasing the French flair for dining in style. Who could resist these salty little showstoppers? 

 

Whether crafted from porcelain, faïence, or majolica, each oyster plate is a petite masterpiece — made to dazzle as much as to serve. Some swirl with wells for six or twelve oysters, artfully arranged like flower petals, while others shimmer with gilded edges, scalloped rims, and hand-painted seascapes that channel breezy afternoons by the French coast. Originally designed for dining, they’re now equally at home hung en masse on a kitchen wall or stealing the show at your next soirée.

 


Stacks on Stacks à la Française
 

Shell We Shop?

At Lolo French Antiques et More, we’re always on the hunt for oyster plates that bring a splash of French coastal je ne sais quoi to your tabletop. Our collection of antique oyster plates includes pieces by Gien, St. Clément, Longchamp, HB Quimper, and more. 

 

Each piece is as versatile as it is beautiful! Use them to serve oysters or hors d'oeuvres, or style them as statement pieces — on their own or grouped gallery-style. They make thoughtful gifts, too — especially for seafood lovers, Francophiles, and collectors of unique tableware. Bring a touch of France to your summer entertaining with these petite Provençal treasures. 

 

Shell we shop? Click the oyster plates below to browse our hand-picked oyster plate collection — stacked and styled just for summer. 

 

Savor the Season à la Française

Where every table tells a story, and every plate offers a taste of summer by the sea, French oyster plates, with their timeless designs and artisanal details, add that extra touch of joie de vivre. Perfect for serving oysters on the half shell or styling as statement décor, these coastal treasures come in countless colors and patterns, from creamy faïence glazes to vibrant turquoise and earthy green majolica.

 

Stay tuned as we continue celebrating the French art of entertaining with our next summer favorite: whimsical asparagus plates that bring garden-to-table style with a wink.


À Bientôt!

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Mimi Montgomery

When this self-described Francophile is not reading or writing about all things French, she's dreaming up charming new ways to showcase Lolo French Antiques et More or traveling to France with Lolo to buy delightful treasures for their store. Mimi, Lolo, and their French Bulldog, Duke, live in Birmingham, AL.

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