Quimper Faience Wall Plates (Brittany Scenes)
Decorative Art, Ceramic, Tin-Glazed Earthenware • French Quimper Faience Manufacture (likely HB, Henriot, or Porquier-Beau schools)
Style & Movement
Folk Art / Regional Brittany Decorative Arts
Medium & Technique
Hand-painted tin-glazed earthenware (faience) with enamel decoration and glaze firing
Creation Period
Late 19th to Mid-20th Century (circa 1890–1940)
Dimensions & Format
Circular tondo plates, approximately 8-10 inches in diameter each
Subject Description
Traditional Breton genre scenes: the top plate depicts a woman in regional costume with a child near a wayside cross (calvaire); the bottom plate shows a seated bagpipe player (biniou) and a seated figure in a rural landscape. Both feature scalloped edges with scrolled foliate borders.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good/Very Good; visible glaze crazing consistent with age and suspected minor firing kiln marks
Estimated Market Value
$150 - $350 for the pair
Auction Estimate
$100 - $200 per plate individually at specialized ceramic auctions
Provenance History
Likely acquired as souvenir decorative arts for the export market; common in American and European domestic interiors of the mid-20th century
Art Historical Significance
A quintessential example of French regional pottery from Quimper, representing the romanticization of Breton peasant life and the decorative arts revival of the late 19th century.
Notable Features
Includes the Ermine tail heraldic symbol (the coat of arms of Brittany) at the top of the lower plate border; hand-painted 'Peinte Main' characteristics.
Condition Issues
Crazing of the tin glaze, minor surface abrasions, and potential small rim chips under wire hangers
Conservation Recommendations
Remove metal wire hangers to prevent rim chipping; use padded plate stands. Dust with a soft dry cloth; avoid chemical cleaners.