French Naval Port of Brest ca 1850-1880 - One of the Oldest Surviving Photographs of the French Fleet at Anchor in the Day of Sail
Above photo illustrates an 11" squarish large French Navy serving bowl for the Officer's Wardroom Mess, 10" dinner plate and 8" salad plate or bread and butter plate also all in the same gold rope and gold fouled anchor pattern which was reserved for the French Navy Officer's Mess and Wardroom ca 1965.
Additionally seen to the right is a 9" dinner plate and 7" salad plate which were used for the enlisted French Navy Petty Officer's Mess, ca 1963. Also shown to the left is a Silverplated Bottle Coaster!
All shown patterns and pieces plus matching cups and saucers are available for sale here on The Pirates Lair - See Below!
Photo above illustrates a heavy duty 9" French Navy bowl used in the Petty Officer's mess. All French Navy plates and china dinnerware and silverware uses the same Fouled Anchor topmark with distinction being the color and size.
Photo to the right shows the French Navy (or Marine Nationale) topmark which consists of a blue fouled anchor. Note the crisp blue nautical rope design around the bowl. Some newer French Navy dinnerware has a more stylized anchor design, however it is not very chic or as desirable as the original fouled anchor motif.
French Navy or Marine Nationale has some of the most beautiful and detailed officers wardroom and enlisted mess dinnerware.
Photo to the left shows in detail the distinctive French Navy fouled anchor as the topmark on the offered china. The photo to the right shows a dated 1941 French Navy Recruit Manual illustrating the French Fouled Anchor.
Like most of the world's navies the French standarized their stylized anchor almost used as a trademark for their naval service. Most navies do not deviate or change their anchor's. An example would be the United States Navy, it has only changed it's fouled anchor symbol once in over 100 years - from a twisted arm to a fixed straight arm!
Above are a cream or milk pitcher and oblong serving dish used in the wardroom officers mess. Two fantastic pieces!
Above are photos of a high quality finely made demitasse coffee cup by Haviland of Limoges, France and used in the wardroom officers mess of the French Navy ca 1986. Beautiful and Elegant! Of worthy note it was this very same Haviland Company which made the US Navy's very first formalized dinnerware ca 1894!!
Elegant bottle coaster produced by Christofole ca 1920s with the French Navy Anchor Fouled Anchor and Naval Twisted Rope along the top edge. |
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Handsome Nautical Bowl with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Handsome Nautical Dinner Plate with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Handsome Nautical Salad Plate or Bread and Butter Plate with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Handsome Nautical Matching Coffee Cup and Saucer with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Handsome Nautical Coffee Cup with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Handsome Nautical Saucer with Blue Twisted Rope on the Rim and Blue French Navy Fouled Anchor as the Topmark, used in the Petty Officer's Mess |
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Stunning, Beautiful Large Nautical Serving Bowl with Gold Twisted Rope along the Rim, French Navy Gold Fouled Anchor Topmark, used in the Officer's Mess ca 1965 |
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Stunning, Beautiful Large Nautical Dinner Plate with Gold Twisted Rope along the Rim, French Navy Gold Fouled Anchor Topmark, used in the Officer's Mess ca 1965 |
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Stunning, Beautiful Large Nautical Salad or Roll and Butter Plate with Gold Twisted Rope along the Rim, French Navy Gold Fouled Anchor Topmark, used in the Officer's Mess ca 1965 |
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Beautiful Milk or Cream Pitcher with Gold Twisted Rope along the Rim, French Navy Gold Fouled Anchor Topmark, used in the Officer's Mess ca 1960s. Made by Haviland, France, Limoges |
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Beautiful Oblong Serving Dish, Perfect as a Receiving Plate! With Gold Twisted Rope along the Rim, French Navy Gold Fouled Anchor Topmark, used in the Officer's Mess ca 1960s. Made by Charles Ahrenfeldt, Limoges, France |
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Below are links to other Antique Nautical and French Naval Artifacts and Militaria that may be of further interest:
Click HERE for WWII US Navy Anchor China
Excellent Condition - Museum Quality. French Naval Anchors on both sides of the blade and stamped on the inside hilt handguard cup. Has all of the appropriate maker marks, cartouche and poincon clear and visible. |
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The Real Deal! Fully Restored Antique Trunks Like Sea Chests, Pirate Chests, Treasure Chests - Perfect as a Naval Retirement Gift, use as a Shadowbox and to store Uniforms and Service Memorabilia! |
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Custom Designed, Handcrafted, and Hand Lettered in Caligraphy on your Antique Chest |
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Customer Photographic Examples of our Antique Trunks Being used as a Military or Naval Retirement Shadow Box and Storage Chest!! |
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