Antique 1870 Jules David Fashion Plate, Hand Colored Engraving, Mother Daughter Castle Scene, Journal des Dames Edition Belge, Framed

🏰 ANTIQUE 1870 FRENCH FASHION PLATE — SIGNED BY JULES DAVID
Hand-Colored Steel Engraving | Le Journal des Dames et des Demoiselles, Edition Belge
Plate 968B | Published August 1870 (handwritten "1ᵉʳ N° Août 1870")
Original signatures of Jules David (designer) & Réville (engraver)

A magnificent 155-year-old fashion plate signed by JULES DAVID
(1808–1892), the most celebrated fashion illustrator of the Victorian
era — known as the "King of Fashion Plates." This piece depicts two
elegant ladies in elaborate bustle gowns conversing beside a small
child in coordinated costume, set against a romantic French château
landscape.

The plate is dated August 1870 in original handwritten ink on the
margin — making this a poignant document of late Second Empire
elegance, captured during the very weeks of the Franco-Prussian War.

🖼️ MATCHING SET AVAILABLE
This print is one of FIVE antique Le Journal des Dames fashion plates
currently in our shop, all in identical period frames. Perfect for
creating a coordinated Victorian gallery wall. Visit our shop to view
the full collection and qualify for multi-piece discounts (10% off 2,
15% off 3, 20% off 4 or more).

🎨 ABOUT JULES DAVID — "THE KING OF FASHION PLATES"
Jules David (1808–1892) was the most prolific and influential French
fashion illustrator of the 19th century. Working primarily for Le
Moniteur de la Mode and contributing to numerous European fashion
journals including Le Journal des Dames, David produced over 2,500
fashion plates across a 50-year career. His original signed plates
are held in the permanent collections of:
- The Louvre, Paris
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- Bibliothèque nationale de France

His signature in the lower-left corner ("Jules David") authenticates
this piece as an original period work — not a later reprint.

The plate is also signed in the lower-right corner by RÉVILLE, the
master engraver who collaborated with David on many of his most
celebrated works. This dual-signature format is a hallmark of
high-quality 19th-century French fashion engravings.

📜 DETAILS
- Plate Number: 968B
- Publication Date: August 1870 (original handwritten date "1ᵉʳ N°
Août 1870")
- Artist (Designer): Jules David, signed lower-left
- Engraver: Réville, signed lower-right
- Publisher: Ad. Goubaud et fils, Éditeurs, Paris
- Printer: Leroy imp. r. des Marais 66, Paris
- Edition: Belge (Brussels edition)
- Technique: Steel engraving with hand-applied watercolor
- Subjects: Two ladies in elaborate bustle gowns + young girl in
matching child's costume ("Costume d'Enfant"); French château
background; coastal landscape glimpsed in the distance.

🔍 PLATE NUMBER DECODED
The "968B" identifies this as the 968th plate in the journal's
continuous numbering system, with the "B" suffix indicating the
Edition Belge — the Brussels-distributed version of this Paris-
published fashion journal.

🏛️ PERIOD ADVERTISEMENTS PRESERVED
Below the title, the original Parisian shopping references are
preserved — a delightful time capsule of 1870 luxury commerce:
- Au Cardinal Fesch (children's costumes)
- Violard frères, rue Richelieu 102 (lace)
- À la Ville de Lyon (ribbons and trimmings)
- Malle des Indes, Passage Verdeau (foulards)
- A. Abler, rue du Bazard (ladies' shoes)
- Guerlain, rue de la Paix 15 (perfumes)
- Wilcox & Gibbs, Boulevard Sébastopol 82 (sewing machines)

These references make the plate a primary-source document for fashion
historians, costume designers, and 19th-century commercial historians.

✨ PROFESSIONALLY CONSERVATION-FRAMED (2003)
This piece was museum-quality framed in September 2003 by Bellevue
Art & Frame (Bellevue, Washington) — a respected Pacific Northwest
custom framer:
- TruGuard® UV-blocking conservation glass
- Acid-neutral conservation matting
- Quality dark wood frame with subtle gilt inner accent
- Original framing labels intact on reverse

The 20+ years of UV protection have kept the hand-coloring vibrant
and the paper free of acidic damage.

📐 DIMENSIONS
- Frame (outer): 16" × 12" (40.6 × 30.5 cm)
- Sheet: full original journal page with all margins
- Image area: approximately 8" × 11"
- Frame depth: approximately 0.75"
- Total weight: 1 lb 15.7 oz

✨ CONDITION
Excellent — far above typical for a 155-year-old plate, thanks to
20+ years of conservation framing. Hand-applied watercolor remains
vibrant. Paper shows light age toning consistent with period (this
adds character and confirms authenticity). Glass intact. Frame
sound. Brass triangle hanger on top. Ready to hang.

📦 SHIPPING
Carefully packaged with corner protectors, glass-safe wrapping, and
double-boxed for safe transit. Ships from Washington State, USA.
Tracking and insurance included.

💎 ABOUT LE JOURNAL DES DAMES ET DES DEMOISELLES
Founded in 1841 and published until the early 20th century, this was
one of the most influential French fashion journals of the Victorian
era. The Edition Belge was distributed throughout Belgium and French-
speaking Europe from Brussels (Rue Blaes 33). Original hand-colored
plates from this journal — particularly those signed by Jules David —
are now sought by costume historians, museum curators, fashion
designers, and Victorian/Steampunk decorators.

———

🛍️ Browse the full Le Journal des Dames collection in our shop.
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