Description
A set of eight HBCM, Hippolyte Boulenger Creil Montereau Playing Card Faience Plates- France, circa 1920s.
Known as assiettes parlantes or talking plates, this set is based on the face cards of a playing deck. A cream colored earthenware body with blue borders, each plate show two face cards, colorful figures, and descriptive banners.
Some inscriptions loosely translate to:
The ugly jack of diamonds, cuts hearts, he’s the executioner.
Pharmacist, the jack of spades, sells the leech and the emetic.
Lady of Trefle and her money, she sits in the cafe, singing.
The trooper is the King OF Carreau, carrying cheerfully the backpack.
The clown is the Valet de Trefles, kicks, receives medlars.
“The good king Dagobert, to the gummers, cast a winning eye.
“The pretty Lady of Hearts, Put her panties upside down.
In 1920, the Creil-Montereau group was taken over by Hippolyte Boulenger, marking with the initials HBCM (Hippolyte Boulenger-Creil-Montereau).
8.75 in. Diameter. x 1 in. H
All plates are in very good antique condition, with the expected light wear.
