Offered is a Antique, circa 1905-1910, Miniature partial Faience Tea Set from the De Sevres, France Fourmaintraux Factory signed by Gabriel Fourmaintraux.  The tiny faience pieces are perfect accessories for the Continental Dollhouse setting or for an early 20th Century American interior. 

This set, more than any other Fourmaintraux item we have sold epitomizes the below scenario.  Fourmaintraux minis were not, in fact, created by artisans with the marketplace as the first end in mind.  When one finds a Fourmaintraux mini, it can be assumed that rather than being originally created for a dollhouse, it was an apprentice piece utilized by apprentice artisans working for the Firm, including the young Gabriel Fourmaintraux who joined the family firm in 1905, to hone detail and design applications.  The minis certainly then entered the marketplace, especially relative to visitors to France during the Grand Tour Era that continued in the early years of the 20th Century.  

In this case, as evidenced by a beautifully preserved label, we have what is most certainly an apprentice group painted by Gabriel Fourmaintraux entering the Paris marketplace as an "Artistic Bibelot" from DeSevres, France.  Three of the pieces carry the  distinctive "GF" mark and they represent some of his very earliest, experimental work with the company.  The fact that they originally served as apprentice pieces is borne out by the lack of finesse as to the underlying quality of the pieces themselves and the less than fine detailing of the design itself.    

With factory apprentice pieces, artisans were focused on painting / decoration technique relative to the surface of an item rather than its form or quality.  The top of the teapot does not sit quite properly on the pot. The remaining pieces are a bit smaller in scale and cruder than one would expect.  The sugar and a saucer is missing from the "selfish" one cup set.   The pieces are just not as fine in their craftsmanship relative to shape, form, and scale as pieces specifically made for the marketplace as a first resort.  That said, this work from the beginning of his long, long career with the firm is an intriguing window into Gabriel's early creative efforts ... the flowers superimposed over the cobweb pattern is a unique and distinctive design that stands apart relative to the flowery Edwardian Era in which it was created.  Regardless, the set went to Paris and was sold. The label alone is fabulous; I have never seen another. I don't know if it was a company store or an independent establishment.  

The set has been in my possession for approximately 25 years and was originally at "home" in a dollhouse that had the best of everything from around the world.  The time span ran 1890 - 1915 with c 1920 being the date for last items in the house.         

As to size/scale:  the round tray measures 1 and 5/8" in diam.

As I stated with other pieces we sold, there are no great shortages of Gabriel Fourmaintraux signed pieces, generally ... the man had a long and illustrious career and, as head of the Factory from 1930 forward, was always on top of current trends until the latter quarter of the 20th Century. There is, however, not a great abundance of miniature items and certainly not ones that can be pinpointed by virtue of the collection from which it came as dating to his earliest years with the Family firm!  This set screams "novice" artist and would certainly stand as one of his earliest apprentice pieces. It didn't matter, he was confident in his abilities and signed it.  We are fortunate that he did. 

Domestic Shipping by USPS Ground Advantage which includes tracking and insurance for full value.


Check out our other offerings.  Happy to combine shipping where able.


We also do have tens of thousands of cards from the Curt Teich Archives and will be listing them as well as tens of thousands of others ... all types and locales.  Many are categorized. If you're looking for a certain topic, let us know.   

 

Selling on eBay as early as 1997.  "The Mermaid" is also still a bonded auctioneer and real estate broker who spent the past "many" decades' specializing in books, ephemera, estates, and real estate.  Just shy of two million books sold to date.  Books and paper aside, if it is "Stuff", she has sold it!  She has now returned to eBay.  Health issues have brought us back.  We are even selling our own collections!  And ... we are picky.  If we wouldn't add it to our own collections, we won't sell it.  Hope you find something that you want, need, and, most important of all, will enjoy!  We look forward to transacting with you and making new eBay friends and customers.  Thanking you for your patronage in advance ... ! 

 

As to our "standard operating procedures":  Our normal shipping & handling time is three (3) days.  We ship weekdays with the exception of US federal holidays.  We will ship with either free shipping or calculated shipping ... it depends on the given scenario.  Often, calculated shipping will include insurance - again, depending on the item.  Payment is expected at time of purchase or close of auction, whichever is applicable.  This also applies to "best offer accepted" transactions.  Non-paying purchasers or bidders will be blocked from future transactions.  The same goes for winning bidders seeking to have sales cancelled.  That said, prior to the end of any auctions, bids can be cancelled through the HELP section of eBay.  If respective bidders are found to be cancelling bids in an excessive manner, however, they will be blocked from future transactions.  Shill bidding is not tolerated and will be reported.     

 

 "The Mermaid" is happy to ship globally.** (See below.)  For such transactions, "calculated" shipping fees apply and    Insurance will be required if not already included in applicable postal fee. 

**Unfortunately, there are a few destinations to which we cannot and will not ship.  That circumstance involves a fluid dynamic the specifics of which may not be clear until point of sale.  If such is the case, we will allow the transaction to be cancelled at our discretion and without any negative reporting made to eBay.  

 

WE ARE GLAD TO BE BACK!


Shipping includes tracking and insurance.  Check out our other offerings as we get them listed.  Happy to combine shipping.

 

We do have tens of thousands of cards from the Curt Teich Archives and will be listing them as well as tens of thousands of others ... all types and locales.  Many are categorized. If you're looking for a certain topic, let us know.   

 

Selling on eBay as early as 1997.  "The Mermaid" is also still a bonded auctioneer and real estate broker who spent the past "many" decades' specializing in books, ephemera, estates, and real estate.  Just shy of two million books sold to date.  Books and paper aside, if it is "Stuff", she has sold it!  She has now returned to eBay.  Health issues have brought us back.  We are even selling our own collections!  And ... we are picky.  If we wouldn't add it to our own collections, we won't sell it.  Hope you find something that you want, need, and, most important of all, will enjoy!  We look forward to transacting with you and making new eBay friends and customers.  Thanking you for your patronage in advance ... ! 

 

As to our "standard operating procedures":  Our normal shipping & handling time is three (3) days.  We ship weekdays with the exception of US federal holidays.  We will ship with either free shipping or calculated shipping ... it depends on the given scenario.  Often, calculated shipping will include insurance - again, depending on the item.  Payment is expected at time of purchase or close of auction, whichever is applicable.  This also applies to "best offer accepted" transactions.  Non-paying purchasers or bidders will be blocked from future transactions.  The same goes for winning bidders seeking to have sales cancelled.  That said, prior to the end of any auctions, bids can be cancelled through the HELP section of eBay.  If respective bidders are found to be cancelling bids in an excessive manner, however, they will be blocked from future transactions.  Shill bidding is not tolerated and will be reported.     

 

 "The Mermaid" is happy to ship globally.** (See below.)  For such transactions, "calculated" shipping fees apply and    Insurance will be required if not already included in applicable postal fee. 

**Unfortunately, there are a few destinations to which we cannot and will not ship.  That circumstance involves a fluid dynamic the specifics of which may not be clear until point of sale.  If such is the case, we will allow the transaction to be cancelled at our discretion and without any negative reporting made to eBay.  

 

WE ARE GLAD TO BE BACK!