Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
An oval hand-painted porcelain or milk glass cabochon featuring delicate cabbage roses in soft pink, sage green, and powder blue hues. The plaque is secured by brass prongs in a gilt-brass backplate, bearing visible evidence of an older pin assembly that was later replaced with a modern safety-catch bar pin.
Story
Around 1900, china painting was a vibrant artistic movement for women, transforming plain white porcelain blanks into personal wearable art.
Maker / Origin
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, amateur and studio artists—predominantly women—purchased plain white porcelain blanks from European makers like Limoges or Bavarian factories to decorate by hand. China painting clubs and specialty magazines flourished across America, allowing talented painters to showcase fine botanical brushwork.
Condition & Value
The painted porcelain plaque remains vibrant with minor surface wear. The reverse shows significant adhesive residue and a sheared original finding, where a replacement base-metal pin back has been glued over the brass. The replaced finding and glue reduce value by roughly 40-50%.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.