Mid 20th century H&Co Selb Bavaria Heinrich porcelain cabinet plate.

HISTORY Heinrich & Co., founded in Selb, Bavaria, in 1896 by Heinrich H&Co, became renowned for producing high-quality porcelain dinnerware and decorative cabinet pieces. The factories capitalized on traditional Bavarian porcelain craftsmanship while incorporating contemporary design trends, including elaborate gold encrustation and romantic transfer-printed art scenes. These decorative cabinet plates were exceedingly popular throughout the early to mid-20th century as display items for middle-class European and American homes.  The depiction of courting couples, often after classical or romantic European painters, reflected a sustained nostalgic appetite for idyllic 18th-century pastoral themes. Selb porcelain manufacturers employed specialized artisans to apply rich cobalt and teal grounds, layered with intricate acid-etched or stenciled gold gilt borders that framed the central vignettes. Such pieces served as affordable luxury items, bringing a touch of aristocratic elegance to dining rooms and parlors before changing interior aesthetics phased them out of everyday display.