Large 19th Century French Painted Faience Porquier Beau Quimper Serving Platter

$3,600

About

Enhance a shelf, dining table, or kitchen island with this important antique Quimper blue and white Porquier Beau platter. Crafted in France circa 1895, the large, hand-painted ceramic plate features a striking heraldic crest at its center, showcasing a crowned shield with a lion rampant, flanked by two mythical dragons or winged sea creatures. The oval shaped platter with scalloped edges is decorated with blue and white floral and foliate motifs, as well as medallion embellishments. The important faience piece is in excellent condition commensurate with age and use, with a rich cobalt blue color palette. The decorative plate would make an outstanding addition to your porcelain collection as an elegant serving dish for entertaining guests or placed on an entry way console. Stamped with crossed PB marking (for Porquier Beau). 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: 21.5″ W x 15.75″ D.

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