Set of 8 Villeroy & Boch Rouen Pattern “Phoenix” Plates - 9¾"

This set of eight Villeroy & Boch plates dates from the mid-20th century and is decorated in the firm’s Rouen pattern, also known as "Phoenix" pattern. Each plate has a gently scalloped rim outlined in burgundy red and a colorful central scene of exotic birds perched among flowering branches, with smaller floral sprays around the border, drawing on the decorative vocabulary of 18th-century chinoiserie. Each plate bears the Villeroy & Boch stamp on the reverse. The set is in good condition, with light rubbing to the rims but no visible chips. A couple of plates have developed a more pronounced patina, including areas of heat discoloration, lending them a charmingly aged, slightly faded character.

The Rouen pattern takes its name from the celebrated faience tradition of the Norman city of Rouen. Its design draws particularly on the polychrome chinoiserie decoration developed there during the 18th century, when exotic birds, flowering branches and vivid botanical motifs became an important part of the local decorative vocabulary. Villeroy & Boch reinterpreted these historic motifs for its own tableware, with the prominent long-tailed bird also giving the pattern its alternate name, Phoenix.

The eight matching plates have a wonderfully decorative presence, combining scalloped edges, rich polychrome decoration, and softly aged surfaces. They bring a refined, collected feel to a table setting and are equally appealing displayed on open shelving or arranged as a plate wall.