Original Item: Only One Available. This is an impressive Saddam Hussein-era Iraqi state serving platter manufactured in France by the renowned Christofle firm. The platter features a large Iraqi coat of arms, an elegant beaded border, and documented provenance associating it with Basra Airport. It was recently obtained through Al Finjan Antiques in Baghdad and is accompanied by a copy of the dealer’s original letter and an English translation concerning its legal sale and export from Iraq.

During and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Coalition forces occupied government buildings, military installations, airports, and numerous presidential properties associated with Saddam Hussein’s regime. Large quantities of Iraqi state furnishings, tableware, and decorative objects were dispersed during the upheaval. Some were taken from government buildings as wartime souvenirs, while others remained in Iraq and later entered the commercial market through Iraqi dealers, government sales, and other authorized channels.

This platter was not represented to us as an undocumented battlefield souvenir removed by a Coalition serviceman. It was acquired through Al Finjan Antiques of Baghdad, an Iraqi antiques dealer described in the accompanying documentation as being licensed to export this type of material.

According to the dealer’s letter, the platter was legally obtained and does not fall under the protected antiquities and heritage material covered by Iraqi Law No. 55 of 2002. A copy of the original letter on the dealer’s letterhead, together with an English translation, is included with the purchase. Prospective buyers should review the accompanying documentation and reach their own conclusions regarding the precise legal and provenance history of the piece.

The platter is constructed from silver-plated metal and has a finely beaded border around its raised edge. The formal design is understated but elegant, making it entirely appropriate for official receptions, government dining facilities, senior officers’ messes, or other state hospitality settings.

The center of the platter bears a large roll-stamped Iraqi coat of arms of the pattern used between 1965 and 1991. The emblem incorporates the Eagle of Saladin with the Iraqi national shield and gives the platter an unmistakable connection to official Iraqi state service.

Roll stamping is a manufacturing process in which an engraved die is pressed into the surface as the object passes beneath it. This distributes pressure more gradually than a single direct strike and allows a large, detailed design to be impressed into the metal. The resulting Iraqi state emblem remains strong, crisp, and highly visible.

The underside bears the markings:

CHRISTOFLE
FRANCE
CHRYSALIA

It also carries Christofle’s manufacturer and quality hallmarks. The square hallmark containing the letters “OC” and the chess-knight device is the firm’s well-known mark for its silver-plated wares. There is no French solid-silver fineness hallmark present, confirming that this is a silver-plated Christofle piece rather than one made from sterling or solid silver.

Christofle was founded in Paris in 1830 by Charles Christofle and became internationally renowned for its high-quality silverware, silver-plated tableware, and decorative metalwork. The company played an important role in introducing electroplated silver production in France during the 19th century and supplied table services to governments, embassies, hotels, institutions, and prominent private clients throughout the world.

“Chrysalia” was a trade name used by Christofle on plated tableware. Its presence, together with the Christofle France marking and company hallmarks, identifies this as a genuine commercially manufactured Christofle piece rather than a locally produced imitation.

The platter retains most of its original silver-plated finish. There is expected tarnishing, light scratching, surface wear, and localized thinning or loss to the plating from age and use. The beaded border and Iraqi coat of arms remain clearly defined and display extremely well.

The surface has not been aggressively polished and retains an attractive aged patina. Collectors may prefer to preserve it in its current state. Any future cleaning should be performed carefully with products specifically intended for silver-plated objects, as excessive polishing could remove additional plating.

The platter stands approximately 3/8" high and measures approximately 11" in overall diameter. The recessed central serving area measures approximately 7" in diameter.

The accompanying documentation associates the platter with Basra Airport. During the Iraq War, Basra International Airport became one of the principal British military installations in southern Iraq, housing thousands of personnel from the British Army, Royal Air Force, and supporting services.

British forces also occupied Basra Palace, a former Saddam Hussein presidential complex in the center of the city. By 2007, British positions at both the palace and airport were subjected to repeated rocket, mortar, sniper, and improvised explosive device attacks by militia forces.

Basra Palace was evacuated in September 2007 when British troops withdrew to the more defensible airport base. Following the 2008 Battle of Basra and the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to the Iraqi government, British forces relinquished control of Basra Airport in 2009.

The supplied documentation does not establish precisely where within the airport complex the platter was used, when it entered service, or whether it had previously been located in a presidential palace, government office, military facility, or official hospitality area. Its association with Basra Airport should therefore be understood as dealer-supplied provenance rather than proof that Saddam Hussein personally owned or used the piece.

Original Iraqi state tableware with government insignia has become increasingly desirable, particularly when it was manufactured by an internationally recognized luxury firm and is accompanied by Iraqi-source documentation. The combination of Christofle manufacture, the pre-1991 Iraqi coat of arms, attractive formal pattern, Basra Airport association, and included dealer letter makes this a highly displayable artifact of Saddam Hussein-era Iraq and the later Global War on Terror.