In digging through the archeological layers of Grayson and Sam’s lives, these plates popped up pretty trustworthily as being from the late-’60s/early ’70s—perhaps earlier, but certainly no later. They’re in pristine condition, and they’re beautiful.

I trace them to the DS era because they’re the only plates that speak to Grand Guignol, the celebrated French horror theater of the 19th century, even though the puppet version of the same name was designed and intended for children. But during the DS moment, the Guignol aspect (dare we say…branding?) would have been a fit, besides the fact that the plates are charming in their own right. The reality that I only have 3 surviving plates speaks to the fact that they were in use at dinner parties, and some likely got broken through use—three plates is not a set. If I know my parents well—and I do—there was attrition.

Three Theatre Guignol Puppet Theater Plates $300 or best offer