1 ~ hand-painted "Pompano" fish 1 ~ hand-painted "Bonita" fish The artist was S. A. Kilbourne,a native of Bridgetown, Maine,was an accomplished painter of natural history subjects when he decided, in 1858, to specialize in painting fish. He was extremely successful and, as the plates in this work testify, very proficient in his work. These two plates are signed by him.
These were given to my father who was a die-hard fisherman by my great Aunt Charlotte who was an antiqued collector from upstate New York. They were given to my father when I was a little girl and he kept them until he died several years ago when I received them.
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. Your plates date from the late 19th century, are made out of porcelain, and appear to be in good condition. Each plate features a handpainted image of a fish by American artist Samuel A. Kilbourne ( 1836-1881). Kilbourne started his carrier by painting landscapes until about 1858 when he took up the painting of fish. He became a famous artist with sportsmen and scientists. Yours are painted on German porcelain blanks. In the19th century, it was fashionable for people to paint porcelain as a hobby, and many companies would ship blank pieces to America. The importing business is how companies such as Montgomery Ward and Woolworths got started; a company called Wilhem and Praff imported your plates. Based on price realizations for original works by Kilbourne, the fair market value would be between 500 and 1000 US dollars per plate. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best Regards,
Morgan