19th Century French Hand Painted Faience Quimper Oil & Vinegar Donkey Container

$1,200

About

Decorate a kitchen counter or a shelf with this antique ceramic conjoined double pitcher. Created in Brittany, France circa 1895, the hand painted “Piece de Forme” features a donkey standing on an oval base and carrying two removable jars on his back, one for olive oil, the other for vinegar. The kitchen accessory is decorated with the coat of arms of Brittany sand embellished with floral motifs throughout. The colorful faience piece is in excellent condition with markings underfoot for further authentication. This decorative piece would make a wonderful addition to your porcelain collection. Quimper pottery has a long, impressive history. Tin-glazed, hand painted pottery has been made in Quimper, France since the late seventeenth century. The earliest firm, founded in 1685 by Jean Baptiste Bousquet, was known as HB Quimper. Another firm, founded in 1772 by Francois Eloury, was known as Porquier. The third firm, founded by Guillaume Dumaine in 1778, was known as HR or Henriot Quimper. All three firms made similar pottery decorated with designs of Breton peasants and maritime and flower motifs. The Eloury (Porquier) and Dumaine (Henriot) firms merged in 1913. Bousquet (HB) merged with the others in 1968. The group was sold to a United States family in 1984. More changes followed, and in 2011 Jean-Pierre Le Goff became the owner and the name was changed to Henriot-Quimper. The French firm has been called Societe Nouvelle des Faienceries de Quimper HB Henriot since March 1984. Pottery was made in Quimper when the city was part of the Roman Empire, long before tin-glazed pottery was being made. Measures: 7.5″ W x 7″ D x 7″ H.

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