This is a complete set of six Duck Plates made by Limoges China. The artist was John Gould, 1804-1881. Each plate features a different duck, with the species of duck named on the back of the plate. The six ducks pictured on the plates are: Teal, Mallard/Wild Duck, Garganey, Pochard, Widgeon, and Red-crested Duck. The scientific name of each duck is also listed on the back of the plate. The plates are made of fine china, as Limoges is so known well for. These plates were used only for display and were never used, so they are in perfect, unused condition. The plates are 7 ½ inches wide.

About the Artist: John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. He was influenced by Charles Darwin, and is referenced in Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”. He began working in the Royal Gardens of Windsor with his father, who was a gardener and subsequently worked at Ripley Castle in Yorkshire. Then he set himself up in business in London as a taxidermist. This skill helped him to become a curator and preserver at the Zoological Society in London. This is where he met Darwin. Darwin gave his specimens to Gould to identify. The University of Glasgow, which owns a copy of Birds of Great Britain, describes John Gould as “the greatest figure in bird illustration after Audubon.