Small QUIMPER HB France Vintage 60s handpainted jug / pitcher / vase:
- Height – 13,5 cm
- Diameter – 10,5 cm
- Design number – 282
- Shape number – 222
- M.J initials mean supervisor named as ‘M’ and ceramist named as ‘J’
- Manufacturing year: 1968-1983
- Made in England
- Manufacturer – QUIMPER HB FRANCE
- Material – glazed ceramic
- Condition – great / crazing on the glaze / few chips on the edge / see images / price reduced.
The tin-glazed handpainted French faience known as Quimper Pottery, pronounced “cam-pair” has been manufactured in Quimper, a town in Brittany, France for over 300 years. The pottery adopted its name from the town of Quimper where potter Jean Baptiste Bousquet built his kilns in the Quimper area of Locmaria in 1685 and was given a royal manufacturing license by King Louis XIV. Although the area of Locmaria in Quimper has been associated with pottery as far back as the Gallo-Roman era, Bousquet is credited with being the founder of “Quimper Pottery”. His firm was known as HB Quimper.
In 1772, a rival firm was founded by Francoise Eloury known as Porquier. A third firm formed in 1778 by Guillaume Dumaine which was known as HR or Henriot Quimper. The pottery made by the three companies was similar featuring the Breton peasants and sea and flower motifs.
In 1913, Porquier and Henriot merged with HB joining the others in 1968. The company was sold to a US family in 1984. More changes followed and in 2011 Jean Pierre Le Goff purchased the company and changed the name to Henriot
Today, Henriot Quimper continues the tradition producing the traditional patterns featuring the Breton figures as well as many new more modern designs. The superbly talented resident artists at Henriot still hand-craft every piece of Quimper Pottery. Historically, the Quimper factories hosted artists in their studios which continues to this day. Quimper pieces are still produced from casts and works by major artists who have created works for the various Quimper factories, including Berthe Savigny, Louis Henri Nicot, R. Michaeu Vernez, Rene Quillivic, Beau & Porquier & George Robin. In addition, contemporary artists, such as Paul Moal and Loic Bodin continue to work with Henriot.
Each piece of Quimper faience is completely handmade and painstakingly hand-painted. Each piece of Quimper is unique. One artist handpaints each piece from start to finish. Each piece is then initialed by the artists.
