Antique French Faience Lidded Pitcher with Pewter Thumb Lifter
Details
This exquisite French faience pichet (pitcher) dates from circa 1880. The fluted, pear-shaped baluster body, arched handle and domed lid are covered with a pure white tin glaze over earthenware. It's hand painted with a profusion of intricate, Rouen-style floral designs. The handle is decorated with blue rococo scrolls on each side and a ribbon and dot design in pale yellow and brown on the face of the handle.
The front side is decorated with a crowned shield---deep blue with three gold fleurs-de-lis arranged two over one---the “Ancient Arms of France” used by the French monarchy from the late Middle Ages onward, especially associated with the House of Bourbon. It's surrounded by a double gold chain suspending a gold medallion. The lid is raised and lowered by means of a pewter thumb-lifter known in French as a Lève-pouce, this one shaped as a diving dolphin with its tail in the air. The hinged lid allows for easy one-handed pouring.
The polychrome colors of cerise and pale chartreuse were developed by a process called petit-feu (low-fire) in the second half of the 1700's by Paul Hannong, a circa 1732-1760 prominent French ceramicist based in Strasbourg, France. The conjoined, hand painted blue PH mark on the bottom may be the initials of the decorator and/or an apocryphal mark in tribute to Paul Hannong.
This pitcher is in superb condition with a few tiny flakes, a small chip on the bottom edge of the base and an extremely minute, short hairline. There are arrows in our photos to point these out for accuracy. None of it spoils the beauty. Everything else is pristine.
The pitcher stands 9 1/4 inches tall to the top of the lid, measures 5 inches to the outer edge of the handle across the belly and has a round base about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. It weighs 2 1/2 pounds.
Traditionally used as wine or cider pitchers, these highly decorative pitchers are rare, especially in this condition. This gorgeous 19th century faience pitcher adds an eye-riveting French touch to any room in your home.
PYH 5844
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Thanks, Wayne, Linda & Sassy Henrich