Memo from J-P
For this page of oldquimper.com, we give the floor to Jean-Pierre, who serves as the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) of The Meadows Collection. Appointed to that position in 2007, he has gamely agreed to attempt the daunting task of taking over the duties previously fulfilled by the late, but ever-present-in-our-hearts, Porquier-Beau...whose image continues to grace the upper left corner of this link.
Jean-Pierre is fifteen-years-old, which translates to seventy-six in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate.
It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:
Greetings to all.
First a little bit about me:
Jean-Pierre is fifteen-years-old, which translates to seventy-six in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate.
It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:
Greetings to all.
First a little bit about me:
I was born in Paris and am thoroughly français despite paperwork that lists me as being a chat de la fôret norvégienne (Norwegian Forest Cat). My full name is Châtelain Jean-Pierre. Châtelain because being born in 2007... December 21, 2007 to be precise...means that in accordance with French regulations, my name must begin with the letter 'c'. Those born in 2008 have names that begin with a 'd', those born in 2009 have names beginning with the letter 'e' and so on.
Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.
Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.
Every once in a while I like to put the spotlight on a specific topic…it might be an unusual example of Quimper pottery or perhaps a further look at a place or structure…something that I feel will further your enjoyment of French faïence.
And then sometimes I take this opportunity to share with you some of our adventures in Quimper...because one of the results of being so gab-smacked enamored of Quimper pottery has led to the inevitable and now we live in Quimper...right in the middle of Old Town !
I'm an indoor cat, but I do see a lot from our windows and the folks are always up for an adventure. Here's a quick rundown of what we were up to last month...it will give you a bit of a taste of the sights and sounds of living in Quimper.
It being January, everyone is reflecting on the past year, so I'll take the opportunity to share some images of memorable 2022 moments that for one reason or another weren't included in the previous issues.
The view from my perch overlooking rue Kéréon...Quimper's equivalent of "main street" with the sunset reflected on the Cathedral Saint-Corentin.
The birthplace of Quimper pottery as it appears today...Place Styvel. On the far left with the red shutters is the original grande maison where Pierre Bousquet began producing Quimper pottery in 1708. The building just right of center with the red tile roof was the Fouillen pottery;
Four HB Quimper Bigoudènes peer out from a shelf discovered during a special visit to "the reserves"...the building that houses objects belonging to the Musée Départemental Breton. The museum's collection of treasures is vast and this is where pieces are stored when they are not displayed. The bust on the far right is modeled after a sculpture by François-Victor Bazin ( 1897-1956 ) and the three other figures were created by Henriette Porson ( 1874-1963 ). Note that the three Porson pieces, while the same mold, were decorated differently and are the same, yet unique at the same time.
The garden in the courtyard entrance to the Musée de la Faïence is sprouting pottery ! The result of Museum guests taking advantage of special opportunities to decorate blank pieces found during the renovation of the former Fouillen pottery.
The folks spy vintage faïence even when they venture away from Quimper. This piece was noticed during a visit to the Paris museum celebrating Victor Hugo. The writer was a collector extraordinaire and his former residence in the Place de Vosges is filled with treasures including many ceramic pieces.
This watercolor of an Alfred Beau design for a piece intended for serving candy brings up memories of all the incredible examples that were on display at the Musée de la Faïence's 2022 exhibit.
One night, a select group of the museum's supporters were invited to a special event where the current pieces on display were joined by the Breton-inspired pottery of Tania Shkurenko...like this lamp modeled after a 50's-era Pont-l'Abbé coiffe. Tania Shkurenko is a young Ukrainian refugee who is now sheltered with her children in Quimper.
In December the folks...along with their Breton dance group...were invited to participate in a performance/demonstration in Place Saint-Corentin.
For the end of the year holidays, a special light show had the Cathedral adding to the town's festive look...
The grey granite of its exterior...
...bathed in color to highlight its historical architectural elements.
Twice nightly a projected light show recounted a tale in which the Cathedral changed its appearance...here it is transformed into a Japanese temple...
...and recognizing the importance of its pottery, at one point in the tale, images of Quimper plates and cups swirled across the facade of the Cathedral.
Finally, photos came in our inbox...a regular occurrence. Readers come across pieces and want more information or they see something that they find puzzling. The photographs below came in last month, the sender noting that they were part of the sale of a larger collection of faïence barber bowls and asked Mom's opinion of them. I thought I'd post them here as a reminder of what to look for when on the hunt for Quimper pottery:
Verdict: despite being signed "quimper", these are not vintage barber bowls from Quimper's HB or Henriot potteries.
The observations that raise a red flag are the usual...the form as the shape does not conform with known Quimper examples, the color of the exposed clay is not in keeping with the color of clay used in Quimper's production of vintage utilitarian pieces, the colors of the decorative glazes are not quite right for the suggested time period, the floral motifs differ from known examples and the central motifs are a tad too elaborate for a utilitarian piece.
So form, clay, glaze, motif...if one of those clues is a bit off, it may just be a case of a vintage aberration and sign of uniqueness rather than a piece being a reproduction or fake, but to have all four indications be suspect should make one think twice before opening their wallets. Note, that the signature was not one of the initial concerns...although in this case, even the signature is wrong.
That's my memo for this month; I hope you enjoy my sharing our adventures in Quimper!