Description:

A small earthenware advertising plate printed in brown with the Standard Willow border and a central pattern consisting of a collage of urns, jugs, cups and plates.  The dominant figure in the central pattern is an urn with an unidentified symbol in a center circle.  Printed on the plate is "ABRAM FRENCH & CO., BOSTON".  Abram French was a china and glass retailer in...

Description:

A small earthenware advertising plate printed in brown with the Standard Willow border and a central pattern consisting of a collage of urns, jugs, cups and plates.  The dominant figure in the central pattern is an urn with an unidentified symbol in a center circle.  Printed on the plate is "ABRAM FRENCH & CO., BOSTON".  Abram French was a china and glass retailer in Boston.  Established in 1822, the company survived until 1902 when it went into bankruptcy. The New York Times, on June 23, 1885, reported that "a serious fire [occurred in the company's] large four-story brick block corner of Franklin and Devonshire streets, [Boston] occupied by the extensive glassware and crockery establishment of Abram French & Co."  It was reported that most of the firm's $300,000 (nearly $8 million in today's currency) in stock was destroyed.  A daguerreotype of the French building is shown below.  

These small plates would have been used as a means of advertising.  In some cases, salesman's names were printed on the back.