Your FAQs
We get a number of questions from our readers each month and since we've been publishing a monthly issue of oldquimper.com since 1999, that's a heck of a lot of questions...and answers!
A few years ago, after answering umpteen questions about the many different markings used by the Quimper potteries, we added a link...the Factory Marks link on the website menu...to try to address your concerns. That has proved to be very successful as you can now immediately find examples of the more common factory markings. But Quimper pottery is hand-painted and each piece is different so there will always be questions that are unique to a specific piece. The purpose of this link is to provide a sampling of some of the questions we receive each month along with the answers that we gave...note that they are published, and if need be, edited, to comply within the bounds of our promise to take the utmost precautions to respect everyone's privacy.
Our aim is to give you a place to see if anyone else had a similar question, to be able to check here first so you can find an immediate answer to your specific question..how can I tell the age of my piece, should I get it repaired, how was it used, etc., etc.
Our aim is to give you a place to see if anyone else had a similar question, to be able to check here first so you can find an immediate answer to your specific question..how can I tell the age of my piece, should I get it repaired, how was it used, etc., etc.
Question...
Hello,
As you can see below...
As you can see below...
...the knob on the top of my coffee pot broke off. Please suggest how to remedy the problem.
A). What kind of glue is best for repairing the knob/lid?
B). Can I replace the lid only for this item and what would be the cost?
Thank you,
A). What kind of glue is best for repairing the knob/lid?
B). Can I replace the lid only for this item and what would be the cost?
Thank you,
Answer...
The availability of purchasing just the lid is not likely...in your case, the piece needed is not brand new, yet not old either... and in any case, since Quimper is hand-painted, each piece has its own characteristics and the result would most likely be obvious as a "marriage"...two pieces that didn't originally start out life together.
That leaves restoring the original lid.
Things happen and thus, I included some tips on repairing in our book:
Basically, if you use the piece constantly, then I would recommend that you have it professionally repaired. If it is primarily for display, then you could go that route or opt to initially try your hand at repairing it. If you follow my instructions and don't like the results, then you can always "undo" your efforts and then have it professionally repaired.
The most important thing is to allow for the reversibility of the glue. So NO super glue or similar product. You should use a white glue...technically a PVA or polyvinyl acetate emulsion...such as Elmer's...readily available and reversible by immersing in warm water. The break area must be clean. Then moisten the broken edges with distilled water...this prevents the glue from traveling far into the body of the piece. Apply the glue sparingly on one side and align the pieces. Wipe any excess glue and "clamp" the join with tape applied across the break. Set aside so that the break is allowed to dry horizontally...won't be a problem for your lid, but if it was a plate, you would use a stand or "sand-box" and place it with the re-joined area setting horizontally.
Let it set for 24 hours. That will attach the piece...any glaze loss is a different story and best left to professionals as it involves color-matching and more caustic materials.
Just glued, you're not going to be able to dunk the lid in soapy water to clean it, but a quick wipe with a damp paper towel should suffice; the application of glaze will be needed to fully restore it for the rigors of everyday use as a coffee pot lid.
Good luck...my husband broke a plate just yesterday and I can't begin to count how many pieces over the years that have been "modified" by one cat or another.
Best Regards,
Adela
That leaves restoring the original lid.
Things happen and thus, I included some tips on repairing in our book:
Basically, if you use the piece constantly, then I would recommend that you have it professionally repaired. If it is primarily for display, then you could go that route or opt to initially try your hand at repairing it. If you follow my instructions and don't like the results, then you can always "undo" your efforts and then have it professionally repaired.
The most important thing is to allow for the reversibility of the glue. So NO super glue or similar product. You should use a white glue...technically a PVA or polyvinyl acetate emulsion...such as Elmer's...readily available and reversible by immersing in warm water. The break area must be clean. Then moisten the broken edges with distilled water...this prevents the glue from traveling far into the body of the piece. Apply the glue sparingly on one side and align the pieces. Wipe any excess glue and "clamp" the join with tape applied across the break. Set aside so that the break is allowed to dry horizontally...won't be a problem for your lid, but if it was a plate, you would use a stand or "sand-box" and place it with the re-joined area setting horizontally.
Let it set for 24 hours. That will attach the piece...any glaze loss is a different story and best left to professionals as it involves color-matching and more caustic materials.
Just glued, you're not going to be able to dunk the lid in soapy water to clean it, but a quick wipe with a damp paper towel should suffice; the application of glaze will be needed to fully restore it for the rigors of everyday use as a coffee pot lid.
Good luck...my husband broke a plate just yesterday and I can't begin to count how many pieces over the years that have been "modified" by one cat or another.
Best Regards,
Adela
Question...
Hi,
A year ago, you helped me identify a nut dish, and now I'm back again.
I bought a tray of stuff at an auction and to my surprise, it included a couple pieces of Quimper. I was able to identify one, but the other confuses me.
The mark HB Quimper is on the side rather than the bottom. Is that common?
I've attached pictures. By the way, I was also surprised at the number of glaze pinholes on it.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi,
A year ago, you helped me identify a nut dish, and now I'm back again.
I bought a tray of stuff at an auction and to my surprise, it included a couple pieces of Quimper. I was able to identify one, but the other confuses me.
The mark HB Quimper is on the side rather than the bottom. Is that common?
I've attached pictures. By the way, I was also surprised at the number of glaze pinholes on it.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Answer...
A factory mark on the side of a Quimper pitcher is not at all uncommon. You'll find it on examples from all of the potteries. The piece dates from circa 1910 or so and appears to have had some restoration, including a rebuilt spout. The pinholes, however, are original and are part and parcel of early Quimper...bubbles in the glaze, kiln dust, potters' tears and all sorts of bloops and blobs are typical of this era of production.
Hope this helps,
Adela
A factory mark on the side of a Quimper pitcher is not at all uncommon. You'll find it on examples from all of the potteries. The piece dates from circa 1910 or so and appears to have had some restoration, including a rebuilt spout. The pinholes, however, are original and are part and parcel of early Quimper...bubbles in the glaze, kiln dust, potters' tears and all sorts of bloops and blobs are typical of this era of production.
Hope this helps,
Adela
Question...
Hello,
I've just discovered your amazingly informative site, and wonder if you can help me verify some information regarding the mark on a Quimper bowl, (yes I have taken on board your advice about the danger of trying to identify the marks date wise, which I believe I have fallen foul of).
The piece in question is a bowl 22cm diameter x 7.5cm deep. It has a Bretonne Lady central figure, with couronnes (?) border, and a blue scalloped pattern around the top.
It bears a black HB QUIMPER mark under figure, which I thought I had identified as the HB Grande Maison Hubaudière Bousquet period 1883 to1895. However it has recently been pointed out to me that "this is a 20th century piece owing to the fact that the name Quimper appears on it, i.e. post 1904".
Is this correct?
I would be very grateful for your advice
Hello,
I've just discovered your amazingly informative site, and wonder if you can help me verify some information regarding the mark on a Quimper bowl, (yes I have taken on board your advice about the danger of trying to identify the marks date wise, which I believe I have fallen foul of).
The piece in question is a bowl 22cm diameter x 7.5cm deep. It has a Bretonne Lady central figure, with couronnes (?) border, and a blue scalloped pattern around the top.
It bears a black HB QUIMPER mark under figure, which I thought I had identified as the HB Grande Maison Hubaudière Bousquet period 1883 to1895. However it has recently been pointed out to me that "this is a 20th century piece owing to the fact that the name Quimper appears on it, i.e. post 1904".
Is this correct?
I would be very grateful for your advice
Answer...
You are right to question the information about a piece of Quimper pottery being "post 1904". That "pre or post 1904" reference is old and incorrect information that goes back to an overly-zealous collector who didn't research carefully. It was written a long time ago and the misinformation just spread...and obviously continues to make the rounds.
The addition of the word Quimper in a mark does not have a bearing on the date. And more importantly, only in a very few cases is the value influenced greatly by the age of a piece. Your bowl may very well be 20th century; but keep in mind that there are brand new Quimper pottery pieces made today that have greater monetary value than an authenticated piece from the 18th century.
Here are examples of pieces that dispute that "pre and post 1904" claim in case you wish to reply to the person who "did the "pointing out":
You are right to question the information about a piece of Quimper pottery being "post 1904". That "pre or post 1904" reference is old and incorrect information that goes back to an overly-zealous collector who didn't research carefully. It was written a long time ago and the misinformation just spread...and obviously continues to make the rounds.
The addition of the word Quimper in a mark does not have a bearing on the date. And more importantly, only in a very few cases is the value influenced greatly by the age of a piece. Your bowl may very well be 20th century; but keep in mind that there are brand new Quimper pottery pieces made today that have greater monetary value than an authenticated piece from the 18th century.
Here are examples of pieces that dispute that "pre and post 1904" claim in case you wish to reply to the person who "did the "pointing out":
On the left is a Porquier-Beau jardinière...everything about it is authentically last quarter of the 19th century...around 1875 to 1893 to be more precise. Next the bottom of the piece and then a close-up of the mark. Pre-1904, yet the mark includes "Quimper".
The next photo shows a plate from the same time period and it serves as an example of a pre-1904 "Quimper" marked piece from a different pottery...there were three potteries in Quimper that produced faïence during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The plate is from the pottery that eventually became known as Henriot. That pottery began making faïence in 1891, specifically upon the hiring of the artist who painted that particular plate, Camille Moreau. Documentation shows that Moreau worked there for only a short time...1891-1894, so we can really pinpoint when the plate was made. Pre-1904, yet you'll find the "Quimper" notation under the central scene. The last photograph shows the bottom of a bowl dated by the Musée de la Faïence in Quimper as being from the first half of the nineteenth century. That's from the pottery where your bowl was made...the one that eventually signed their pieces HB for Hubaudière-Bousquet.
So I hope that puts to rest the pre and post 1904 misinformation.
Once again, I don't recommend paying too much attention to the mark when trying to authenticate and date a piece. Paintings, furniture or pottery, the mark or signature on a vintage item is generally the first thing that a faker tries to emulate. The best way to determine the age of a piece of Quimper is to examine and recognize the types of glaze, the form, production technique and style.
So I hope that puts to rest the pre and post 1904 misinformation.
Once again, I don't recommend paying too much attention to the mark when trying to authenticate and date a piece. Paintings, furniture or pottery, the mark or signature on a vintage item is generally the first thing that a faker tries to emulate. The best way to determine the age of a piece of Quimper is to examine and recognize the types of glaze, the form, production technique and style.
Question...
Hello, I inherited this piece from my great grandmother and I'm very curious about it. And if it could have been a piece that came with them from France when they moved here to America. Any information would be amazing. I have no living relatives who can tell me anything on it. Thank you!
Hello, I inherited this piece from my great grandmother and I'm very curious about it. And if it could have been a piece that came with them from France when they moved here to America. Any information would be amazing. I have no living relatives who can tell me anything on it. Thank you!
Answer...
You would have to determine if the dates coincide, but your Quimper faïence figure of the Virgin Mary (Ste Vierge) and the infant Jesus could very well be a treasured piece that they brought with them. Such figures were made in several sizes and in two categories...with and without a small hole in her crown.
With the hole signified that it was meant to hold a candle that would be lit during childbirth because among a host of other things, the Virgin Mary is the patron saint for pregnant women. The crown of your figure does not have a hole, meaning it was intended to hold holy water...used during daily prayers to bless ones' self.
Figures of Ste Vierge were used throughout France, not just in Brittany and took pride of place in the family home. Yours dates from the period between 1910 or so to 1920...definitely prior to 1922. Each piece of Quimper pottery is hand-painted and thus has its own unique characteristics.
I hope this helps you to further enjoy your piece of family history!
Best Regards,
Adela
Question...
Hello,
Can you help please?
I am trying to identify an unusual dish with a Quimper mark. I've scoured the internet but have not been able to locate anything like it. I am most intrigued about the possible purpose of this dish. It is very heavy and chunky and somewhat rough in construction.
Attached are three photos. One of the mark underneath and two of the dish.
I would be thrilled if someone could identify this unusual item for me.
Hello,
Can you help please?
I am trying to identify an unusual dish with a Quimper mark. I've scoured the internet but have not been able to locate anything like it. I am most intrigued about the possible purpose of this dish. It is very heavy and chunky and somewhat rough in construction.
Attached are three photos. One of the mark underneath and two of the dish.
I would be thrilled if someone could identify this unusual item for me.
Answer...
Hello...I am pleased to be able to solve your mystery. What you have is a berceau à asperges...which literally translates to "cradle for asparagus". It was intended to be used to serve asparagus!
It was made in Quimper at the HB pottery factory...circa 1930.
There are so many different shapes and forms of Quimper pottery...add to that the vast variety of decorative motifs...and then you throw in the fact that for all intents and purposes they are all hand-painted ( there have been a few, a very few exceptions over the past three centuries)...it all adds up to a mind-boggling array of individual and entirely unique examples of art pottery.
Hello...I am pleased to be able to solve your mystery. What you have is a berceau à asperges...which literally translates to "cradle for asparagus". It was intended to be used to serve asparagus!
It was made in Quimper at the HB pottery factory...circa 1930.
There are so many different shapes and forms of Quimper pottery...add to that the vast variety of decorative motifs...and then you throw in the fact that for all intents and purposes they are all hand-painted ( there have been a few, a very few exceptions over the past three centuries)...it all adds up to a mind-boggling array of individual and entirely unique examples of art pottery.
Reply:
Hello Adela,
Thank you so much for finally solving the mystery of my Quimper dish!
Asparagus ... that makes complete sense!
How fabulous that it was made in 1930. A wonderful era!
Thanks again for your response. Very happy. :-)
Hello Adela,
Thank you so much for finally solving the mystery of my Quimper dish!
Asparagus ... that makes complete sense!
How fabulous that it was made in 1930. A wonderful era!
Thanks again for your response. Very happy. :-)
Question...
Hi Adela & Mark,
My partner was given the figurine in the attached photos and I was hoping you might be able to provide some information about it. I’ve seen similar ones by searching but none exactly like it. I also noticed that there are many different names on the ones I’ve reviewed. Is there a source that shows all the different figurines that were produced? Is there a way to know the age of this figurine?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Adela & Mark,
My partner was given the figurine in the attached photos and I was hoping you might be able to provide some information about it. I’ve seen similar ones by searching but none exactly like it. I also noticed that there are many different names on the ones I’ve reviewed. Is there a source that shows all the different figurines that were produced? Is there a way to know the age of this figurine?
Thanks in advance!
Answer...
Hi!
Louisik is a nickname and term of endearment for Louise: formed by the "ik" or "ick" added to a name...example Yann is John in Breton but Yannick is Johnny. What a formidable foe she will be should we find ourselves at the market with only one chicken left for sale! She looks to be wearing the traditional costume of Kerfeunteun, a village that is now a neighborhood within the city of Quimper.
There never will be one exactly like her...being hand painted, each piece of Quimper has its own quirks and personality. There were several molds for figures, each representing the costumes of the nearby villages. How many? I'm afraid that that will forever remain a mystery. I have seen the same mold form decorated with different names and have also seen figures of saints from the same mold decorated with different names.
The factory markings on Louisik indicate that she was originally intended to be sold outside of France and just going by the photograph she probably dates somewhere in the 1930 to 1950 era.
Hope this helps...
Best Regards,
Adela
Hi!
Louisik is a nickname and term of endearment for Louise: formed by the "ik" or "ick" added to a name...example Yann is John in Breton but Yannick is Johnny. What a formidable foe she will be should we find ourselves at the market with only one chicken left for sale! She looks to be wearing the traditional costume of Kerfeunteun, a village that is now a neighborhood within the city of Quimper.
There never will be one exactly like her...being hand painted, each piece of Quimper has its own quirks and personality. There were several molds for figures, each representing the costumes of the nearby villages. How many? I'm afraid that that will forever remain a mystery. I have seen the same mold form decorated with different names and have also seen figures of saints from the same mold decorated with different names.
The factory markings on Louisik indicate that she was originally intended to be sold outside of France and just going by the photograph she probably dates somewhere in the 1930 to 1950 era.
Hope this helps...
Best Regards,
Adela
Question...
Good afternoon - first of all, my thanks for your very informative site. I have already learned a lot!
I have attached three photos of a group of three figurines. From the details on your site, I am guessing that the production date is post 1922 and the model is by Jim-Eugène Sévellec.
I have recently inherited these from my mother - she had them when I was a child and I would love to know a little more about them. Any information will be gratefully received!
Good afternoon - first of all, my thanks for your very informative site. I have already learned a lot!
I have attached three photos of a group of three figurines. From the details on your site, I am guessing that the production date is post 1922 and the model is by Jim-Eugène Sévellec.
I have recently inherited these from my mother - she had them when I was a child and I would love to know a little more about them. Any information will be gratefully received!
Answer...
How adorable! Your figures were made at the Henriot pottery in Quimper...they are officially called "groupe de trois enfants" (group of three children) and are part of the Noce Bretonne (Breton Wedding) series created by Jim-Eugène Sévellec (1897-1971). There were eight separate groups of figures in all...from musicians to the happy couple...as well as buildings that served as the background...all in Quimper pottery! I've attached a scan of an original postcard from the factory when the series was first issued, circa 1930. Sévellec was not an employee of the Henriot pottery; he was an independent artist; visiting the town of Quimper periodically to create the models and molds from which his pieces were crafted. There was a wonderful and comprehensive exhibit of his work, including paintings, drawings and lots of fabulous Quimper pottery pieces in 2012 at the Musée de la Faïence in Quimper. A catalog of the exhibition was published and I believe it is still available through the museum. Hope this helps you to enjoy it even further!
How adorable! Your figures were made at the Henriot pottery in Quimper...they are officially called "groupe de trois enfants" (group of three children) and are part of the Noce Bretonne (Breton Wedding) series created by Jim-Eugène Sévellec (1897-1971). There were eight separate groups of figures in all...from musicians to the happy couple...as well as buildings that served as the background...all in Quimper pottery! I've attached a scan of an original postcard from the factory when the series was first issued, circa 1930. Sévellec was not an employee of the Henriot pottery; he was an independent artist; visiting the town of Quimper periodically to create the models and molds from which his pieces were crafted. There was a wonderful and comprehensive exhibit of his work, including paintings, drawings and lots of fabulous Quimper pottery pieces in 2012 at the Musée de la Faïence in Quimper. A catalog of the exhibition was published and I believe it is still available through the museum. Hope this helps you to enjoy it even further!
Vintage postcard published by the Henriot pottery showing Jim-Eugène Sévellec's multi-figured wedding procession.
Reply:
Good afternoon Adela - thank you so much for taking the time to research this for me. I've always loved this little ornament and it is a precious reminder of my late mother. Knowing more about it has brought me great joy.
Question...
I'm wondering whether you can tell me anything about these Quimper pieces.
I'm wondering whether you can tell me anything about these Quimper pieces.
They were given to me by a French woman in 1981. I was under the impression that they were from her childhood in the 1930s or 40s perhaps. They are so sweet and charming. I can't find anything like them online.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Answer...
Your impression was correct. A "service enfant"...set of children's dishes...is shown as #880 in a late 1920s-early 1930s HB production catalog. The complete service had two rimmed plates, a pitcher, a mug, an egg cup and an écuelle or double handled bowl. It looks like you have an écuelle, a pitcher and the larger plate.
Generations of French children were eager to finish their meal so that they could see who would appear at the bottom of their plate or bowl. The "R" signifies the particular studio where they were painted and the second initial identified the specific artist who painted the piece.
It's not surprising that you were not able to find any examples online...children's dishes being naturally subjected to the rigors of childhood. Hope this helps you to enjoy them further...
Generations of French children were eager to finish their meal so that they could see who would appear at the bottom of their plate or bowl. The "R" signifies the particular studio where they were painted and the second initial identified the specific artist who painted the piece.
It's not surprising that you were not able to find any examples online...children's dishes being naturally subjected to the rigors of childhood. Hope this helps you to enjoy them further...
Question...
My husband and I found this set of Quimper, I think, in my mother-in law's basement. I have not found this particular pattern in any of the research I have done. It looks similar to Soleil, but has different,”Trees?” Can you tell me anything about it? Thank you so much!
Answer...
This is a pattern that was commissioned in the 1920s for a particular store. This was not an unusual practice for the Quimper potteries; it was something that was done on a regular basis by both the Henriot factory and the HB factory...and is still done to this day. I would say that in this case, the pattern was ordered by an American enterprise...at least the only time I have seen these "trees"...some collectors call them "bird feathers" because another version features birds as a central motif instead of the "little peasants"...anyway, the only time I've seen them were on pieces sold in the US that were marked N.S.& S. You didn't include a photograph of the reverse, but I'm guessing that they will have those initials indicated as well as HB Quimper France. As I mentioned there were several stores that commissioned particular patterns...in France, in England, Canada and the US. In the 1920s and 1930s, American examples included Ogilvy's of New York and Macy's. N.S. & S is interesting because it's the initials of Nathan Straus & Sons. Nathan Straus's family business got its start supplying tablewares...china and glass, etc. They were very successful and at one time owned Macy's as well as their own chain of stores. These were high-end retailers during that time period. Hope this helps!
Reply...
Thanks so much for your help. I should have sent you the bottoms, too.
Question...
I have been busy reading your web site to try to get info on a piece of quimper which sat on the piano at home for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately I can't send you a photo but the marks underneath read as follows
HB+
Quimper
Odetta
23.1108
The d in Odetta looks like an upside down g. It is nothing like the usual plates etc being very dark looking and the picture is very different.
I hope you can find it from the piece number. My mother was French and I think the piece may have come from her aunt who lived in haute savoie. The figure of the man playing a pipe looks as if he could have come from there. Then again my other uncle came from Paris and dabbled in antiques and collectables. Sadly with them all gone I have no one to ask. I can get my daughter to help me send a photo if you have no luck. Many thanks for your help
HB+
Quimper
Odetta
23.1108
The d in Odetta looks like an upside down g. It is nothing like the usual plates etc being very dark looking and the picture is very different.
I hope you can find it from the piece number. My mother was French and I think the piece may have come from her aunt who lived in haute savoie. The figure of the man playing a pipe looks as if he could have come from there. Then again my other uncle came from Paris and dabbled in antiques and collectables. Sadly with them all gone I have no one to ask. I can get my daughter to help me send a photo if you have no luck. Many thanks for your help
Answer...
Hello,
I know a 93-1108...is that possibly it? That form (93) is sort of a small basket with a handle; it was used for both faïence and (grès) stoneware production. The décor features a bombarde player; he is wearing a traditional Breton costume...wooden shoes and châpeau rond...and is sitting down playing the bombarde. Does that sound like your piece?
I know a 93-1108...is that possibly it? That form (93) is sort of a small basket with a handle; it was used for both faïence and (grès) stoneware production. The décor features a bombarde player; he is wearing a traditional Breton costume...wooden shoes and châpeau rond...and is sitting down playing the bombarde. Does that sound like your piece?
Reply...
Many thanks for your reply you are right it is 93. Hope you got these photos.
It is 7.5 ins high by 10.5ins wide. In immaculate condition. I need to value it for insurance purposes terrified one of the grandchildren will break it. Where can I get it valued? Do you have any idea of the date it was made? Would help me work out where it came from...many thanks for your help.
Response...
Hello again,
The HB factory used that style of basket form for faïence as well and also in a larger size. The Odetta series was made of grès or stoneware. Stoneware pieces required a higher temperature, so to make sure that they were fired in the proper kiln a small cursive letter "g" was usually engraved into the bottom of an Odetta piece. Your photo of the bottom of the piece is a bit fuzzy so I don't see a "g"; but then again, it was not an automated system, so the small "g" didn't always happen. Your piece appears to be authentic and you can safely date it as being from around 1930. Unfortunately, I'm not able to provide an official appraisal via the internet as there are quite a number of factors that would need to be analyzed. Hope this helps.
The HB factory used that style of basket form for faïence as well and also in a larger size. The Odetta series was made of grès or stoneware. Stoneware pieces required a higher temperature, so to make sure that they were fired in the proper kiln a small cursive letter "g" was usually engraved into the bottom of an Odetta piece. Your photo of the bottom of the piece is a bit fuzzy so I don't see a "g"; but then again, it was not an automated system, so the small "g" didn't always happen. Your piece appears to be authentic and you can safely date it as being from around 1930. Unfortunately, I'm not able to provide an official appraisal via the internet as there are quite a number of factors that would need to be analyzed. Hope this helps.
Question...
Hello. I came across your website as I am trying to find out more
information on these Quimper bookends. The man is dressed in pale greenish color pants with a blue jacket with black cuffs and yellow buttons. He is wearing a black and yellow hat and seems to be playing an instrument. The woman is wearing a blue dress with a yellow apron and black cuffs and is holding a goose? They are both stamped HB Quimper France. Not in the same places on each. If you could give me more information on these, I would greatly appreciate it! I have found similar bookends online, but not these two. Thank you so much!!
information on these Quimper bookends. The man is dressed in pale greenish color pants with a blue jacket with black cuffs and yellow buttons. He is wearing a black and yellow hat and seems to be playing an instrument. The woman is wearing a blue dress with a yellow apron and black cuffs and is holding a goose? They are both stamped HB Quimper France. Not in the same places on each. If you could give me more information on these, I would greatly appreciate it! I have found similar bookends online, but not these two. Thank you so much!!
Answer...
Hello,
Sounds as if you are new to the wonderful world of vintage Quimper pottery...Welcome! The instrument is emblematic of Brittany...it's a biniou...that's its Breton name...in French it's a cornemuse...and in English, a bagpipe! Unfortunately, my old HB catalogs don't reveal the name of the artist responsible for the original mold. They show up first in catalogs from the mid-1920s and they were available both in an all-white glaze or in polychrome like yours. The molds continued to be used for several decades; from the photographs, it appears as if the petite bretonne with the goose is not as old as the petit breton playing the biniou. The glazes appear to be different and normally the signatures...they are hand-written and not stamped by the way...these signatures would generally be in the same place if they had been decorated at the same time and by the same artist. So it may be a put-together set...that is one that didn't originally start out together.
Hope this helps.
Sounds as if you are new to the wonderful world of vintage Quimper pottery...Welcome! The instrument is emblematic of Brittany...it's a biniou...that's its Breton name...in French it's a cornemuse...and in English, a bagpipe! Unfortunately, my old HB catalogs don't reveal the name of the artist responsible for the original mold. They show up first in catalogs from the mid-1920s and they were available both in an all-white glaze or in polychrome like yours. The molds continued to be used for several decades; from the photographs, it appears as if the petite bretonne with the goose is not as old as the petit breton playing the biniou. The glazes appear to be different and normally the signatures...they are hand-written and not stamped by the way...these signatures would generally be in the same place if they had been decorated at the same time and by the same artist. So it may be a put-together set...that is one that didn't originally start out together.
Hope this helps.
Reply...
Here are the pictures of the bottoms. The one underlined is the woman and the one not is the man. Thank you!
Response...
The 926 is the form number...that is, the catalog number used to identify the mold. This second set of photos that you sent backs up my original thought that the two are perhaps a put together set...the petite bretonne with the goose being newer. They are vintage and some years have passed and so it's not necessarily a huge hit on the value...but it is one of the factors to consider.
I included a value guide in our book where I explain what goes into determining the value of a piece of Quimper pottery. Unfortunately, it's impossible to have a traditional "price guide" for Quimper pottery that would have even an ounce of merit. Not only do you have the normal "age, form, rarity, condition and geographical location" factors, but each piece is different...and the primary factor...artistic merit...is too subjective to be able to make any hard and fast delineations.
I haven't sold a set of this mold in a while, but I'll check our archives and get back to you. Quickly, I see that a comparable put together set "sold" for the equivalent of $240 dollars a couple of months ago online. I put "sold" in quotes because the information on items that don't reach the amount desired by the seller is often distorted to indicate that it sold, when in fact it didn't. It's just less expensive for an online seller to make it look like it sold and then re-list at another time down the road. Unfortunately, that only serves to skew the perceived value.
Hope this helps.
I included a value guide in our book where I explain what goes into determining the value of a piece of Quimper pottery. Unfortunately, it's impossible to have a traditional "price guide" for Quimper pottery that would have even an ounce of merit. Not only do you have the normal "age, form, rarity, condition and geographical location" factors, but each piece is different...and the primary factor...artistic merit...is too subjective to be able to make any hard and fast delineations.
I haven't sold a set of this mold in a while, but I'll check our archives and get back to you. Quickly, I see that a comparable put together set "sold" for the equivalent of $240 dollars a couple of months ago online. I put "sold" in quotes because the information on items that don't reach the amount desired by the seller is often distorted to indicate that it sold, when in fact it didn't. It's just less expensive for an online seller to make it look like it sold and then re-list at another time down the road. Unfortunately, that only serves to skew the perceived value.
Hope this helps.
Question...
Dear Adela and Mark,
I have reviewed your website and have become more knowledgeable about the Quimper pieces that I recently acquired from family. Your website is wonderfully in depth and interesting and I'd first like to thank you for your time and efforts in providing this resource.
I've attached some images of the two types of Quimper in our collection. The image with the whole set, I believe from reading your notes, is from the 1960s. The individual images of the more pink clay bowls with a yellowish glaze and holes for hanging, look to me to be from 1922. I'd be pleased if you'd respond with your input regarding the age of the pieces, and whether or not they all have the tin glaze. I have been told that tin glaze has lead, and that is my concern.
This collection is dear to me because it's been used in my family for years and we plan to keep it and continue to use it unless lead is an issue.
Your response would be very much appreciated.
I have reviewed your website and have become more knowledgeable about the Quimper pieces that I recently acquired from family. Your website is wonderfully in depth and interesting and I'd first like to thank you for your time and efforts in providing this resource.
I've attached some images of the two types of Quimper in our collection. The image with the whole set, I believe from reading your notes, is from the 1960s. The individual images of the more pink clay bowls with a yellowish glaze and holes for hanging, look to me to be from 1922. I'd be pleased if you'd respond with your input regarding the age of the pieces, and whether or not they all have the tin glaze. I have been told that tin glaze has lead, and that is my concern.
This collection is dear to me because it's been used in my family for years and we plan to keep it and continue to use it unless lead is an issue.
Your response would be very much appreciated.
Answer...
Hello and thank you for your kind words...they are much appreciated!
Circa 1960 works for the set in the first photograph; "1922" is most likely a bit on the early side for the pieces in the second photograph...I could perhaps tell you more if you send a photograph of the decoration; the marks on Quimper are not nearly as good an indication of age as they may be for other types of decorative pottery.
As for the lead content...
Yes, the so called tin glaze of vintage Quimper contains lead...but the whole issue of lead as a health problem originated because of concerns for the workers...pottery employees that were dipping their hands in liquid glaze all day long and day after day...not as a concern for the users of the finished product. A properly fired piece does not pose a threat.
Quimper pieces made today do not have any lead in the glaze. The lead content had been reduced little by little for the past couple of centuries...but again, this was to protect the workers...as well as to comply with export regulations. How to know if a vintage piece had been properly fired? Look for damage to the surface...pits, chips, crazing...then, yes...perhaps, you wouldn't want to use that particular piece for serving anything acidic...salad dressings made with vinegar, coffee, etc...although my Dad lived to a ripe old age and drank his coffee from lead glazed cups...that's all they had back then...and any cup he had was certain to be chipped as he was notoriously clumsy!
Hope this helps...
Circa 1960 works for the set in the first photograph; "1922" is most likely a bit on the early side for the pieces in the second photograph...I could perhaps tell you more if you send a photograph of the decoration; the marks on Quimper are not nearly as good an indication of age as they may be for other types of decorative pottery.
As for the lead content...
Yes, the so called tin glaze of vintage Quimper contains lead...but the whole issue of lead as a health problem originated because of concerns for the workers...pottery employees that were dipping their hands in liquid glaze all day long and day after day...not as a concern for the users of the finished product. A properly fired piece does not pose a threat.
Quimper pieces made today do not have any lead in the glaze. The lead content had been reduced little by little for the past couple of centuries...but again, this was to protect the workers...as well as to comply with export regulations. How to know if a vintage piece had been properly fired? Look for damage to the surface...pits, chips, crazing...then, yes...perhaps, you wouldn't want to use that particular piece for serving anything acidic...salad dressings made with vinegar, coffee, etc...although my Dad lived to a ripe old age and drank his coffee from lead glazed cups...that's all they had back then...and any cup he had was certain to be chipped as he was notoriously clumsy!
Hope this helps...
Question...
The dealer who sold me this plate sells a lot of French things and said that being marked on the front proved it was an older piece.
Answer...
No it is not.
If I only had a nickel for every time I've said "don't go by the marks". I know it's very tempting to do so and there are indeed some examples of pottery where the markings tell an accurate story...but Quimper isn't one of them.
Where a piece of Quimper is marked is not proof of anything and, for that matter, the mark itself is not proof of anything. From your photograph, the colors of the glazes used and the relatively timid nature of the brush strokes indicate a piece that was produced at the HB-Henriot factory from 1983-2003. That factory purchased the right to use earlier marks and hence you have this plate marked Henriot Quimper that was made well after the Henriot pottery ceased to exist. When it was first purchased, there may have been a paper label noting that it was a re-edition from an earlier era, but those label were easily removed.
So I repeat, do not use the marks as a major factor when dating Quimper pottery.
If I only had a nickel for every time I've said "don't go by the marks". I know it's very tempting to do so and there are indeed some examples of pottery where the markings tell an accurate story...but Quimper isn't one of them.
Where a piece of Quimper is marked is not proof of anything and, for that matter, the mark itself is not proof of anything. From your photograph, the colors of the glazes used and the relatively timid nature of the brush strokes indicate a piece that was produced at the HB-Henriot factory from 1983-2003. That factory purchased the right to use earlier marks and hence you have this plate marked Henriot Quimper that was made well after the Henriot pottery ceased to exist. When it was first purchased, there may have been a paper label noting that it was a re-edition from an earlier era, but those label were easily removed.
So I repeat, do not use the marks as a major factor when dating Quimper pottery.