This is an
exceptional late 19th-century Henriot Quimper (HB) faience jardiniere,
produced in Brittany’s Cornouaille region and dated 1893 by the
inscribed mark.
The jardiniere
features a rare basket-form mold with an elongated arched handle and
pierced circular openings, inspired by traditional Breton woven baskets and
developed by the Quimper ateliers during the Art Nouveau period.
Decoration is
entirely hand-painted in classic Quimper polychrome: a cobalt blue upper
ground with orange enamel dot borders, scrolling motifs, and pierced accents,
contrasted with a white lower ground richly adorned with Breton solar
rosettes, green garlands, and characteristic four-bead cross motifs.
Raised white enamel beadwork and selective gold accents, including Art Nouveau
spiderweb detailing on the ends, elevate this piece well above standard
tableware.
The four-bead
motifs and rosettes are traditional Cornouaille symbols associated with
protection, fertility, and regional identity, frequently used in decorative
Quimper faience of the 1890s.
The underside
bears a handwritten “HB Quimper” mark, an incised “93”, and an
atelier decorator’s “X”, consistent with late 19th-century Henriot
production.
Condition: Excellent antique condition with no
chips, crazing or paint loss.
Measurements: Height 4.25 inches (10.79 cm); Length 6.5 inches (16.51
cm); Width 3.5 inches (8.89 cm).
A highly
decorative and increasingly scarce example of Breton regional faience
from Quimper’s most creative period.