Shop in Your Slippers
On these pages, we feature a small portion of our extensive inventory of vintage Quimper pottery. We stand behind our pieces and guarantee each to be as described. Your satisfaction is protected with a certificate of authenticity; returns are accepted when notified within three days of receipt. Buyer pays for return shipping. We accept payment in US dollars via PayPal or arrangements can be made for payment by US bank check or postal money order; debit and credit cards are processed via PayPal...our PayPal address is either oldquimper@yahoo.com or meadows@oldquimper.com.
For larger purchases, we are famous for our slow, painless lay-a-ways. That's where you decide how much you want to pay and when...no payment is too small and no time frame is too long! Quimper pottery is one-of-a-kind art...if the right piece comes along just when you need new tires, we understand...believe me, there's nothing worse than us having to answer "No, I'm sorry" when someone asks "Do you still have...?"
We ship via the French postal service (La Poste) and all items are carefully packaged by our in-house, maniacal Virgo...double-boxed with extra packing material, tracking number, insured, etc. Shipping from Quimper to a US address typically takes 6 to 8 days.
If you wish to have your item shipped to a location other than the US or if you have any questions, please remember that we're just an email away! Just contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Ready?
Slippers on?
Let's go shopping!
For larger purchases, we are famous for our slow, painless lay-a-ways. That's where you decide how much you want to pay and when...no payment is too small and no time frame is too long! Quimper pottery is one-of-a-kind art...if the right piece comes along just when you need new tires, we understand...believe me, there's nothing worse than us having to answer "No, I'm sorry" when someone asks "Do you still have...?"
We ship via the French postal service (La Poste) and all items are carefully packaged by our in-house, maniacal Virgo...double-boxed with extra packing material, tracking number, insured, etc. Shipping from Quimper to a US address typically takes 6 to 8 days.
If you wish to have your item shipped to a location other than the US or if you have any questions, please remember that we're just an email away! Just contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Ready?
Slippers on?
Let's go shopping!
Matched Pair of HB Quimper Plates from the 179 Series
This matched pair of HB Quimper plates manages to successfully blend sophisticated elegance with traditional down-home charm. The form is identified in 1920s-era HB pottery documents as number 179.
It owes its unusual and successful nature to its border...best described as ruffled. It lends a unique touch to a classic design.
It's hard to tell in the photograph, but the border does not just have an edge that is scalloped...the entire border is rippled making this matched pair of plates even more decorative ! They are a generous size...10.125 inches in diameter and were painted at the same time...circa 1925...and by the same artist.
The artist signed both plates on the back...
...with the dots and dashes system used by the factory as a mean of quality control.
And the quality is excellent...first the petit breton...
...overall and a detail view of him standing among the greenery holding his pipe.
And the petite bretonne...
...depicted in her "Sunday Best" and holding a bouquet of red flowers.
Condition-wise...both have some small glaze skips on the edge...original to when the plates were made...and the petit breton has two small chips to the back edge at 8 o'clock....
...as you can see...none of this is visible from the front.
Matched pair of HB Quimper plates from the 179 series is $125. US plus $ 40. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 165. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HR Quimper Bombarde Player Plate with Floral Spray Border
A beautifully-painted piece...decorated in the center with a petit breton playing the bombarde. It measures 9.5 inches in diameter and the condition is just like when it was first made. There is a potter's tear to far left of the central motif and a couple of inconsequential bits of kiln dust.
The glaze colors are particularly rich and vibrant. He plays while standing between two exuberant floral sprays...the same floral motif that completely fills the border with a riot of color.
Looking at the back side reveals the reddish clay used during that time period...1910-1920...
...and it is signed HR Quimper on the front under the musician.
HR Quimper bombarde player plate with floral spray border is $ 145 . US plus $ 30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 175 . US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Henriot Quimper 14 inch Fighting Dragons Vase...with Sabot-Maker and Botanical Motifs
The dragons on this vase are now in their respective corners and look calm and collected...but they must have been fighting mad at one point because if you look closely, there has been some restoration to this side of the vase...broken wings, one dragon has had its head reattached, the front top rim has a repair, etc.
Happily, as this close-up photo demonstrates, the repaired areas display well and the overall artistry on the vase is so spectacular, you can't help but forgive the dragons for their rough-housing.
The scene on this side features a traditionally-dressed petit breton hard at work making a sabot...one of the wooden shoes that were worn for everyday activities. The motif is unusual and was executed in a particularly painterly way...
The vase measures 14 inches high and is 10.75 inches wide. From the other side, you'd never know the dragons had been naughty...
...the central motif on this side features two branches of eglantine...a wild rose known as sweetbriar in English...
...one branch has flowers in tones of red and the other has golden yellow blooms. One of the red flowers has a glaze skip that is original to when it was first made...circa 1925.
The decoration surrounding both scenes features intricately-entwined blue on yellow arabesques.
It is signed lower right of the sabot-maker and on the bottom of the vase with the number 134 to identify the artist.
Sorry...Henriot Quimper 14 inch fighting dragons vase...with sabot-maker and botanical motifs is sold.
HB Quimper Plates...Les Provinces Françaises
In the 1920s, the HB pottery expanded its horizons and produced a series of designs celebrating other regions of France. We're delighted to offer two plates from that series; they were both painted by the same artist...known as ..o. in the "morse code" signatures of the day. They are being sold individually.
HB Quimper Plate...Les Provinces Françaises...Normandie
A jaunty normand in his blue striped shirt and checkered pants...smoking his pipe as he stands between a couple of apple trees...quintessential Normandy !
Not exactly svelte...but then who can resist the famous cream and cheeses of the region ?
He is encircled with golden-yellow and marine-blue stripes and a colorful border featuring stylized apples...giving a nod to Normandy's apple ciders and brandies...interspersed with a four-dot motif.
It is signed on the back...
From the 1920s...we should all look so good ! It measures 9.6875 inches in diameter and condition-wise...there are a couple of white potter's tears on the blue border that are original to when it was made; some errant spots of blue paint that are also original to when it was made; teeny chips to the glaze on the back and some blued-in spots on the very edge that don't show when displayed.
Sorry...HB Quimper plate...Les Provinces Françaises...Normandie is sold.
HB Quimper Plate...Les Provinces Françaises...Pyrénées
Representing the Pyrénées region, here's another HB Quimper plate from the series Les Provinces Françaises. The Pyrénées is the mountain range that runs from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Gascogne...some 250-plus miles across southern France...serving as the border between France and Spain.
Representing such a large area, she wears the traditional costume of the Ossau Valley near Béarn in the region called Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
She is encircled with golden-yellow and marine-blue stripes and a border that features a stylized version of the flower known as crépide dorée...one of the many alpine plants that color the region's rocky landscape.
It is signed on the back...
Also from the 1920s and in superb condition for a gal her age ! The plate is 9.6875 inches in diameter and the condition is in keeping with the era of production with raised reds, some pops and kiln dust; there are some small blued-in areas to the back edge of the border that don't show when displayed.
Sorry...HB Quimper plate...Les Provinces Françaises...Pyrénées is sold.
HB Quimper Plate...Throughly Modern 'Georges Brisson' Design
With the ribbons on his hat floating in the breeze as he boldly stands in a field of flowers, this is a throughly modern petit breton. A colorful departure from the traditional Quimper peasant, the motif is generally accepted to be the work of Georges Brisson.
Georges Brisson (1902-1980) collaborated with the HB pottery, submitting designs from 1922/23 to 1928. During this relatively short period, he produced many striking designs...doing much to modernize HB production...in fact, he created the cover art for the 1926 factory catalog...
By 1930, Brisson had decided to forego ceramics design and devote all of his considerable talents to painting, but before that, he created this dandy Breton...
It measures 9.675 inches in diameter and dates from 1925. The background surface is crackled, there is a restoration to the border at 11 o'clock and a couple of small nibbles to the very edge...but as you can see, because of the unusual border, bright colors and striking design, the appearance is not affected in the least ! It is signed on the back...
Research by Marjatta Taburet notes that the three dot signature on the back was used by a Monsieur Cojan.
HB Quimper plate...thoroughly modern 'Georges Brisson' design is $ 145. US plus $ 30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 175. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HR ( only ) Matched Pair of 19th Century Festonnée Form Plates
With their traditionally-costumed Bretons standing between colorful plants and surrounded by an equally colorful border decorated with floral sprays alternating with a four blue dot motif, this pair of plates were part of the beginning of Jules Henriot's adventures in faïence.
They date from the end of the 19th century when that particular Quimper pottery had just begun to produce decorative faïence...prior to that they only produced utilitarian stoneware.
And decorative they are...first a closer look at the plate with the petit breton...
An obviously distinguished gentleman, he stands holding his riding crop...
His mate is equally attractive...
...as she stands holding a red bouquet...
...like her mate, she is from the commune of Quimper...evidenced by her costume and coiffe.
The plates measure 9.375 inches in diameter...have a lightly scalloped or festonnée form. The early clay somewhat shows through the overglaze, giving a soft pink tint to the white background. Condition is remarkable...especially considering their age. There are the typical glaze pops along with some skips on the edges. The petit breton has a small chip to the backside edge and on the central motif there is a bit of crackle and a light smattering of potter's tears...
These close-up photos of the edges are deceiving because...
...as you can see from the overall photograph of this early pair of plates...none of this distracts from their attractiveness.
They are both signed on the back...HR...the mark used on the first faïence to come out of this pottery.
HR ( only ) matched pair of 19th century festonnée form plates is $225. US plus $ 40. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 265. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HB ( only ) Armorial Plate...Crest of the Duchy of Brittany
Elegant, but without being stuffy, this plate measures 9.375 inches in diameter and features the ducal crest of Brittany.
Beribboned greyhounds flank the shield decorated with stylized ermine tails set upon a golden base accented with a ribbon on which is written the motto of Anne de Bretagne...A MA VIE
A red chainette rim edges a border of colorful flowers interspersed with more stylized ermine tails...
Circa 1890-1900, it is signed on the back HB with another small mark that looks like the number eight.
It is in mint condition with only the usual pops, raised reds, a smudge and a potter's tear...all consistent with that era of production.
HB ( only ) armorial plate...crest of the duchy of Brittany is $ 155. US plus $ 30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 185. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Signed AP...Arthur Porquier...Oil and Vinegar Service
Signed AP for Arthur Porquier, this oil and vinegar cruet set has a story to tell. Pieces signed AP are as scarce as hens' teeth and we were happy to have this cruet set to use in our book on Quimper pottery to illustrate the history of the Porquier factory.
We bought the set many, many years ago here...
...in the shadow of Quimper's Cathedral at the store called L' Art de Cornouaille...a must stop for every visitor to Quimper ! It is now run by Mikael Breton who is following in the footsteps of his father, Pierre. In earlier days, Quimper pottery was only sold at an outdoor market in the square in front of the Cathedral. Mikael's grandfather, Alphonse, was the first to sell it from a store.
L' Art de Cornouaille is amazing...housed in one of Quimper's half-timbered buildings...the historian Henri Belbeoc'h notes that the building dates from the 13th Century. At one time in its past, it was an inn for travelers. Today's visitors marvel at the front plastered with Quimper plates. Not to mention all the pottery inside !
L' Art de Cornouaille is amazing...housed in one of Quimper's half-timbered buildings...the historian Henri Belbeoc'h notes that the building dates from the 13th Century. At one time in its past, it was an inn for travelers. Today's visitors marvel at the front plastered with Quimper plates. Not to mention all the pottery inside !
Pierre Breton was a character...and could come across as a little gruff and a bit frightening to timid Americans. Entering the store, the merchandise was plentiful, but new. To be invited to peruse in his not-open-to-the-public, by-invitation-only basement filled with antique Quimper pieces was an honor that was coveted, but rarely bestowed.
Somehow, decades ago, we were invited by Pierre and this cruet set was among the pieces we bought. The French have a different sensibility about condition...I guess it comes from being surrounded by so much antiquity. Add to that, the fact that the basement was very dark and we were very excited. The cruet set consists of two bottles and a holder...the lids that it came with are not the original lids...those would have been in faïence. Pierre's basement was such a mumble jumble and I'm not good with the prospect of spiders that it was only when we were back in California that we realized that there were some condition issues as well.
But it's an unusual, early example and makes a wonderful "cabinet piece"...that is, for display only rather than for serving a salad !
And it has stayed on display in our cabinet for all this time, but a recent "rearrangement" has prompted us to offer it to a new home rather than squirrel it away in a box.
But it's an unusual, early example and makes a wonderful "cabinet piece"...that is, for display only rather than for serving a salad !
And it has stayed on display in our cabinet for all this time, but a recent "rearrangement" has prompted us to offer it to a new home rather than squirrel it away in a box.
Charming Breton peasants in traditional costumes decorate both sides.
Displaying the set with this side out shows it in the best condition...there's a glaze pop in the petit breton's hat and that's original to when it was made and definitely in keeping with its era of production...1894-1904.
Displaying the bottles with the other side out reveals the heavy craquelure to the glaze of the petit breton...it's not a crack...it's just to the glaze...
Another thing that went unnoticed is the repair to the handle of the stand...
The photos accentuate the condition, but there is no denying that there are issues.
Still, it's beautifully decorated with floral sprays...
...and a now-classic four-dot motif...
Both bottles are marked with the town where they were first sold...Tréguier...a small city of character in the Côtes-d'Armor département of Brittany.
Painted by the same artist, all three of the faïence pieces are signed with the entwined A and P for Arthur Porquier.
The set in the stand measures 8 inches wide, 7.5 inches high and 3.875 inches deep.
To be clear on the condition, heavy crackle on one of the cruets means it really only works from one side and even then the set is missing its original lids, there is a small chip to the rim of one cruet, some foot rim wear to one cruet, the handle of the stand was broken and glued back on and as well there are the usual skips and pops.
But here in its "match.com" photo, you can see that there's a lot of love left in the set...
Signed AP...Arthur Porquier oil and vinegar service is $135. US plus $ 40. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 175. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HB Quimper Circa 1900 Ruffled-Edge Petit Breton Plate
Crimping the edges like you would when making a pie crust gives a snazzy ruffle to the border of this early HB Quimper plate.
It measures 7.75 inches in diameter and the foot rim is pierced for hanging...denoting that it was always intended as a decorative piece of pottery...
Circa 1900, there is a restoration on the back of two of the "ruffles"...at around eight o'clock and nine o'clock...these do not show from the front. The front has some glaze pops consistent with its era of production and the blue sponging at seven o'clock looks to have been touched up...overall appearance is good...none of this takes away from its appearance !
The petit breton holds his pipe in a classic stance under a bird-filled sky.
HB Quimper circa 1900 ruffled-edge petit breton plate is $ 65. US plus $20. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 85. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Soup's On ! Porquier Soupière...Covered Soup Tureen
9.5 inches high and and 10.125 inches wide...this colorful Quimper faïence soup tureen is decorated with classic Porquier renditions of the petit breton and petite bretonne figures standing amidst floral sprays.
The domed lid is 8.675 inches in diameter and like the base, is encircled with hand-painted floral sprays, stripes and dots.
There's no mistaking the AP ( Arthur Porquier ) figures from the Porquier pottery circa 1900...so much so that even though the tureen is not signed...not uncommon for pieces of this era...we guarantee it to be authentic, antique Quimper from that era and that pottery.
Condition-wise...it looks terrific, especially considering its age...there is a chip here and there, but nothing that diminishes its appeal. There is a small chip to the glaze on the tureen base...
...and another chip to the underside of the lid...
Glaze pops, especially in the reds, and the missing glaze on the bottom of the base are original to its making and consistent with the fabrication techniques utilized in that era of production. A gorgeous addition to your table, sideboard or cabinet !
Soup's on ! Porquier soupière...covered soup tureen is $ 245.US plus $35. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $280.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Quimper Quadrillage Motif Plate...Last Half of the 19th Century
Dating from the last half of the 19th Century, this plate is a good example of the early days of Quimper faïence production and serves as a good illustration of the whims of a non-thermostatically-controlled kiln. Such a good example, it was featured in our book on Quimper pottery...on page 152.
Decorated with a classic early Quimper motif featuring a central daisy or marguerite and intersecting lines forming a quadrillage design, it was originally intended to have stronger reds and yellows, but the kilns were wood-fired back then and in this instance, the temperature was not maintained at the proper level for those colors to adhere to the surface. Only light traces where they were applied remain.
Decorated with a classic early Quimper motif featuring a central daisy or marguerite and intersecting lines forming a quadrillage design, it was originally intended to have stronger reds and yellows, but the kilns were wood-fired back then and in this instance, the temperature was not maintained at the proper level for those colors to adhere to the surface. Only light traces where they were applied remain.
Quimper faïence doesn't fade with time...it's all about the whims of the kiln when a piece was originally made !
Unsigned, guaranteed to be antique Quimper, it measures 9 inches in diameter. The back has the typical three marks from the use of pontils and some missing glaze on the top of the back edge that does not show from the front. Note the small hole at around seven o'clock of the center portion.
It blends in on the front to not be noticeable, but that's a hole that was used to hang it on the wall...they didn't have commercial plate hangers in those days ! There is an old restoration on the edge at nine o'clock, but considering its age, the plate is in really remarkable condition !
Quimper quadrillage motif plate...last half of the 19th Century is $ 125. US plus $ 30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 155. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Quimper Faïence Secouettes à Tabac
Small and uniquely different, Quimper secouettes are fun to collect, They were used by both men and women and were traditionally given as a token of affection or remembrance and often were used to commemorate an engagement to marry. Because of this, they remained cherished objects of daily life in Brittany. What's the difference between a tabatière and a secouette à tabac? A tabatiere is generally a box with a cover that lifts to allow access to pinch a bit of the processed tobacco. The secouette is a closed receptacle. It was carried with you throughout the day and reminded you of the loved one who gave it to you each and every time you used it. The content comes out of the opening by shaking the receptacle into the palm of your hand so that the snuff comes out between the thumb and the index finger. The term secouette comes from the French word for " to shake"...secouer.
They come in an array of shapes and sizes including the two shown below:
Heart-shaped Secouette...Petit Breton and Fleur de Lys
The quintessential shape for a love token...a heart-shaped secouette !
A debonair petit breton adorns one side...looking like a real rascal in his colorful red culottes.
Turn it over...
...and there's a large fleur de lys in the colors that represent desire and enthusiasm...
Unsigned, the form was first used by the Porquier pottery, but we have seen examples of heart secouettes signed by the HB factory, so while he certainly looks to be a Porquier petit breton...exactly which Quimper pottery cannot be said positively. Late 19th century-very early 20th century, condition is excellent...
No chips, cracks or dings.. rubbing to the glaze around the opening and as you can see in the photos, there are some glaze pops here and there and one area of thin glaze to the left of the petit breton. All normal for this era of production. It measures a generous 2.875 inches high, 2.375 inches wide and 1.375 inches deep.
Heart-shaped secouette...petit breton and fleur de lys is $150.US plus $25. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $175.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HR Quimper Bottle-form Secouette...Petit Breton
With yellow gaiters accenting his sturdy legs, this petit breton hopes to serve as a remembrance of his human counterpart each time the bottle was shaken !
On the other side, a romantic bouquet of flowers enhances the message of affection.
It measures 3.5 inches high, 1.675 inches wide and .875 of an inch deep. As so often happens with pieces that were used several times a day...day in and day out...the glaze on the top and on the very bottom has been worn...
...there are the typical bloops and pops of this era of production and there is an area on the side where the glaze never adhered in the first place...
Marked underneath the petit breton "HR Quimper", it was made circa 1910. That's a lot of love and affection !
HR Quimper bottle-form secouette...petit breton is $145.US plus $25. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $170.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Classic HR Quimper "Bluebird" Plate
Here's a plate with yellow and blue striped bands encircling the central motif of a bird...but not just any bird...it's a Quimper bird that is a glorious cobalt blue !
Which exact species is unknown, but we're leaning toward "the bluebird of happiness"...a symbol of the joy and happiness that awaits in your future.
It's a joyful and happy antique...made around 1900...and it measures 9.25 inches in diameter. Condition-wise...on the back...
...there are some areas where the glaze skipped or rubbed off on the very edge and two small chips to the back edge, along with evidence of pernettes...used to elevate pieces from the kiln floor...and the remnants of a label from an early collector or shop.
The front of the plate has some minuscule bits of glaze skips to the outer edge and a pop and a bloop in the border, but these are original to when it was made and none of it gets in the way of this colorful bluebird fulfilling its traditional role of being a harbinger of happiness, good health and prosperity !
Classic HR Quimper bluebird plate is $145.US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $175.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Desvres 19th Century Fourmaintraux-Frères Brittany/ Normandy Plate
This unique plate was made at the Fourmaintraux-Frères pottery in Desvres and dates from the period of 1879-1887.
From its fanciful heavily-scalloped shape to its distinctive heraldic symbols of the provinces of Brittany and Normandy...not to mention its imaginative "grotesques"...this is a most unusual plate!
It's one of those pieces that has so much interest, you notice something different every time you look at it...see for yourself:
From its fanciful heavily-scalloped shape to its distinctive heraldic symbols of the provinces of Brittany and Normandy...not to mention its imaginative "grotesques"...this is a most unusual plate!
It's one of those pieces that has so much interest, you notice something different every time you look at it...see for yourself:
The colors and detail of the crests...Brittany on the left and Normandy on the right...are glorious !
Detail views of the imaginative and fanciful creatures that surround the crests...
...fantasy figures stand on water...
...lions flank a jester-like creature...
...everywhere you look, there's a fanciful creature !
The back rim is pierced for hanging denoting that it was alway intended as a decorative piece. It measures 9.5" across and is in near mint condition...there are three small flea-bites on the very edge and a few skips and pops consistent with its early era of production.
It is signed "Bagnoles" on the back in manganese with an artist's mark and the form number 1212. ( Bagnoles is a small town in Normandy, northwest of Alençon, in the department of Orne ).
Desvres 19th century Fourmaintraux-Frères Brittany/Normandy plate is $185.US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $215.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
HB Quimper Fromager...Cheese Server
Like a lot of Quimper pieces, this one had a specific purpose...it was for serving those round cheeses for which the French are so famous...brie, colombier, brillat-saverin, camembert, etc. etc.
The slightly raised inner rim of the under plate does an excellent job of keeping the cheese in place while guests dig in.
Both the lid and the underplate are signed HB Quimper with the "morse code" signature of the artist and the number 221 indicating the form.
A petit breton wearing fancy red bragou-bras ( culottes ) adorns the lid...
...and fanciful flowers and foliage encircle its sides.
It measures 7 inches in diameter and stands 3 inches high. Condition-wise...only three minute glaze chips to the base keep it from being perfect...
HB Quimper fromager...cheese server is $ 45. US plus $ 30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $75. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Malicorne Puzzle Jug...Émile Tessier
In the nineteenth century, a Malicorne puzzle jug...known in France as pichet à secret, pot à surprise or pichet trompeur became virtually synonymous with pottery from that area of the Sarthe.
Originating as a tavern game, then appearing at royal banquets, the earliest example of a puzzle jug dates from the 14th century. The challenge is to drink or pour from a perforated vessel...a feat that appears to be impossible. The secret lies in knowing where and how to hold it.
Émile Tessier (1887-1971) worked at Léon Pouplard's Plat d'Etain factory in Malicorne before opening his own pottery in 1926. His was a life of passion and creativity when dealing with ceramics and in his later years, he founded the well-respected Malicorne pottery museum. Technically proficient and artistically talented, Tessier's glaze is famously smooth and lustrous and his modeling is superb.
Over the years, puzzle jugs were given as a love token and also became a popular gift for birthdays and bachelor parties. It's easy to see how connoisseurs of wine and other bon vivants can appreciate the beautiful modeling...
...of grapes and grapevines on this sophisticated example.
Vibrant colors and attention to detail give this piece additional appeal.
It will hold a healthy amount...measuring 8.5 inches high and 6.25 inches wide, including the handle...provided, of course, that the server can solve the puzzle.
Here's a visual hint.
As you can see from the photographs, it is in mint condition...one glaze pop and a couple of bits of kiln dust...all original to when it was made. It can be difficult to date Tessier production; the pottery was operational from 1926 to 1971 without definitive lines of demarcation as with dating Quimper. For this piece, the lustrous quality of the glaze most likely puts it in the later portion of production...definitely post World War II, so perhaps circa 1960 is a prudent call.
The Emile Tessier mark on the bottom.
Malicorne puzzle jug...Émile Tessier is $85.US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $115.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Keraluc...Jos Le Corre Pichet...Motif: Oiseaux Branché avec Fleurs
Jos Le Corre (born Joseph 1925-1979) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts...School of Fine Arts...in both Quimper and Paris. He was a painter, poster designer, ceramist and eventually art professor at his Quimper alma mater. After the end of World War II, when the Quimper potteries were restarting regular production, Le Corre made a few pieces of faïence at the HB pottery, but management deemed them to be too time intensive and the relationship did not flourish.
Enter Victor Lucas (1897-1958) and his innovative Keraluc pottery. The freedom of expression and artistic nurturing immediately appealed to Le Corre and he was one of the first to work at Keraluc...he was there at the beginning in 1946 and would soon after have his own, private studio within the pottery. His pieces are characterized by their spontaneity...created freehand, they exhibit light, but sure, artistic strokes.
Le Corre continued to use his studio within Keraluc to create his unique pieces until Lucas' death in 1958. This pichet...pitcher...is an example of his flirtation with the ancient process of engobe decoration.
It measures 6.875 inches, 5.5 inches wide including the handle and 4 inches wide not counting the handle...a generous size 4 as noted on the bottom:
The early Keraluc mark can be seen on the bottom, reading:
"Made in France Keraluc près Quimper".
"Made in France Keraluc près Quimper".
Detail views capture Le Corre's ease with the brush...
The pitcher is in mint condition...
Keraluc...Jos Le Corre pichet...motif: oiseaux branché avec fleurs is $165. US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $195.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Pair of Malicorne Shoes...Vases Muraux...Wall Pocket Vases
Not the dinky faïence shoe form that was used to hold salt, these Malicorne faïence shoes measure 4.75 inches long and 1.75 inches wide and were intended to be displayed as a wall decoration...either filled with flowers or not.
A closer look: first the petit breton...
There is a bit of glaze loss to the upper rim of the heel,...difficult to see amidst the stripes...and underneath the bottom "toe" there is a rub to the glaze; this is visible in the first photo, but doesn't show in this one.
The petite bretonne wall pocket is in perfect condition...and she is obviously the more industrious of the two.
He is shown standing nonchalantly with one hand on his waist and the other holding a branch while she is toting a water jug in one hand and a pile of laundry under the opposite arm. Hmmmmm.
Sprays of flowers and an insect or two surround the figures; each wall pocket has holes in the heel of the shoe for a hanging ribbon...allowing them to be displayed either together or separately. ( Or don't mount them on a wall and use them on a table for holding potpourri, etc. )
Each has the PBx mark of the Plat d'Etain pottery in Malicorne; they date from circa 1910.
Pair of Malicorne shoes...Vases Muraux is $55. US plus $20. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total
of $75.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
of $75.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Two HR Quimper Dragon-handled Cups and Saucers
A delightful couple of Quimper faïence cups and saucers...
...a male and a female...with the added interest of dragon-form handles.
Dragons are one of the magical creatures of ancient Celtic lore and are considered to be symbols of power.
Each cup has its own saucer...
...with floral sprays in keeping with those on its cup; each saucer is signed HR Quimper on the back.
The two cups each have their own saucer, creating a matched set...that is, they were painted at the same time, by the same artist.
Highlighting the petit breton cup and saucer set first...detail view of the cup's paysan, dragon handle and HR Quimper mark...
Highlighting the petit breton cup and saucer set first...detail view of the cup's paysan, dragon handle and HR Quimper mark...
...and now for the petite bretonne set...
Circa 1910, both cups and saucers are miraculously in mint condition...no cracks, chips or dings ! The saucers measure 4.875 inches in diameter; the cups are 3.875 inches across including the handle and 2.4375 inches high.
Two HR Quimper dragon-handled cups and saucers are $ 55. US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $ 85. US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Jean-Claude Taburet Plate..Mid-Century Celtic...HB Quimper
The work of Jean-Claude Taburet ( 1926-2013 ) typically includes elements of Celtic motifs. Some find this somewhat surprising since he was not born in Brittany, but rather in the neighboring department of Mayenne. But he comes by his Celtic interests naturally as his parents were Breton, he was raised and schooled in Brittany and it was Brittany where he returned after completing his art studies in Paris.
Settling in Quimper in the beginning of the 1950s, he interned a short while at the Keraluc pottery, but by 1956, Taburet was associated with the HB pottery as an independent artist.
In the 1950s and 60s, Jean-Claude and his wife, Marjatta, were considered...as one French newspaper put it...les deux figures importantes du monde de la faïence de Quimper...essentially "important figures in the world of Quimper faïence". Taburet's work is innovative, colorful and sculptural.
Created during that time period, this plate features individually-sculpted Celtic hearts and birds that were then filled with brilliantly-colored glazes...with the result strongly-reminiscent of stained glass.
It measures 9.125 inches square and is in excellent condition. With its metallic silver border and vibrant thick glazes, this is Quimper art pottery...never intended to be reproduced on an industrial manner.
It is signed by the artist...
Jean-Claude Taburet plate...mid-century Celtic...HB Quimper is $85.US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $115.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Early 19th Century Cul Noir Calotte
Dating from 1840 or thereabouts, this calotte or shallow bowl has an à la touche geometric motif in tin-glazed faïence on the front side, while the reverse is covered in a manganese glaze. The original development of this process is attributed to Paul Caussy of Rouen. We can't decide for sure just where this piece originated...it was attributed to Quimper, however the glaze has a pink tinge and the clay is quite red...very reminiscent of Malicorne production. Decorated examples of cul noir, meaning black bottom, are too few and far between for us to be able to say for sure just where it originated. But we can say for sure that it is a great piece of vintage Country French faïence!
It measures 9.5 inches in diameter and is 1.675 inches high.
It is unsigned; there is an incised x on the reverse...this was often used to indicate that once the form as fired, it was to go to the studio to be painted...and beautifully painted it was!
Condition is fantastic considering age and the fact that these wares were designed for everyday use...no restorations or hairlines; just the customary crazing and some chips along the edges as you can see in the photograph.
It measures 9.5 inches in diameter and is 1.675 inches high.
It is unsigned; there is an incised x on the reverse...this was often used to indicate that once the form as fired, it was to go to the studio to be painted...and beautifully painted it was!
Condition is fantastic considering age and the fact that these wares were designed for everyday use...no restorations or hairlines; just the customary crazing and some chips along the edges as you can see in the photograph.
Early 19th Century cul noir calotte is $95.US plus $30. as a contribution towards insured shipping to a US address for a total of $125.US.
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Note: For shipping to other destinations or any questions, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
And finally...last, but not least...
Our Book...Quimper Pottery...a Guide to Origins, Styles and Values
Our Book...Quimper Pottery...a Guide to Origins, Styles and Values
Our book. It represents over ten years of mind-numbing research. It made my father proud and my sister jealous. This, of course, is a good thing! It was written because I'm ornery...can't be helped, it's a Celtic trait...and what was being said about Quimper pottery just did not jive with our first-hand knowledge of ceramics in general and Quimper pottery in particular. In our book, we reveal the history behind the distinctive Quimper designs and individually profile seven different Quimper pottery factories. Special focus is given to the painters and potters that created this delightful French art pottery and a virtual photo album traces its chronological development from 100 A.D. to today.
Hardbound, 224 pages, and with over 500 color photographs, it is both entertaining and informative, and was designed to truly function as a guide to Quimper pottery's origins, styles, and values. It will greatly enhance your enjoyment and understanding of Quimper pottery.
We are very proud of our book, but then that's to be expected. Here's a sampling of what others have had to say:
"Votre livre plaît beaucoup"
museum curator, Quimper, France
"Marvelous...
congratulations...your book has a great success in France"
antiquaire, Paris, France
"...I find the information very well presented and did not find any errors in the facts or otherwise"
Quimper faïencerie owner, Stonington, Connecticut
"...J'ai acheté votre livre...au Musée de la Faïence...Je l'ai trouvé en tous points remarquable et je vous adresse ainsi qu'a Mark toutes mes felicitations pour ce beau travail."
Quimper faïencerie owner, Quimper, France
"...love it...beautifully written...the technical information is surprisingly readable and I know that isn't easy."
Quimper pottery collector, USA
How to get your very own autographed copy? The price is $50. US plus shipping. Since discounted book rate shipping is available for some destinations, to purchase, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
Hardbound, 224 pages, and with over 500 color photographs, it is both entertaining and informative, and was designed to truly function as a guide to Quimper pottery's origins, styles, and values. It will greatly enhance your enjoyment and understanding of Quimper pottery.
We are very proud of our book, but then that's to be expected. Here's a sampling of what others have had to say:
"Votre livre plaît beaucoup"
museum curator, Quimper, France
"Marvelous...
congratulations...your book has a great success in France"
antiquaire, Paris, France
"...I find the information very well presented and did not find any errors in the facts or otherwise"
Quimper faïencerie owner, Stonington, Connecticut
"...J'ai acheté votre livre...au Musée de la Faïence...Je l'ai trouvé en tous points remarquable et je vous adresse ainsi qu'a Mark toutes mes felicitations pour ce beau travail."
Quimper faïencerie owner, Quimper, France
"...love it...beautifully written...the technical information is surprisingly readable and I know that isn't easy."
Quimper pottery collector, USA
How to get your very own autographed copy? The price is $50. US plus shipping. Since discounted book rate shipping is available for some destinations, to purchase, please contact us at oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)
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That's our Shop in Your Slippers selection for this issue...if have any questions, please contact us at: oldquimper@yahoo.com. (Be sure to check your email settings, because...being an email from France...we sometimes end up in your SPAM folder !)