March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Collecting Quimper pottery new rage for boomers

Almost everyone connected to the world of antiques knows that Quimper pottery is a hot commodity these days. The question is why, and where has it been hiding all these years.

Quimper, which is pronounced “Kemper” after the original Breton spelling of the town where it has been manufactured for more than 200 years, is faience or tin-glazed pottery decorated with brightly colored figures and themes representative of life in Brittany.

During the first 50 years of this century, Quimper was considered quaint by American collectors and homeowners who purchased it to use and for its “folksy” appearance. Here on the coast of Maine, Quimper can be found in abundance in summer homes. Many summer residents brought it Down East because its informal style and colorful decoration seemed to complement the lifestyle of the casual cottage dwellers. Like the later Fiestaware, it was used, abused, loved and loathed. Because it was used for everyday purposes, it became chipped, cracked and broken. Children who grew up with Quimper as everyday china took it for granted and never gave it a second thought for years.

Now those children are part of the baby boom generation which reveres folk art and collects it with a passion. It can be argued that Quimper pottery qualifies as folk art if anything ever did. It is somewhat irregular, colorful, quaint and the execution of the decoration is reminiscent of the naive painting found on furniture and pottery in German areas of Pennsylvania.

The fact that Quimper is French (Breton to be correct) may account for the seemingly slow recognition of the wares by collectors. People who were well-traveled always managed to snap up a few choice pieces of Quimper, but the rage for the pottery which has driven prices sky high is a relatively recent development.

Quimper pottery can be found in almost any form from the usual tablewares such as plates, bowls, cups and saucers to more exotic-shaped serving and decorative pieces. Among the more interesting forms are the rooster egg dish, swan salt dips, fish-shaped plates, Dutch shoes, quintal vases and a variety of utilitarian and decorative forms which were often done in a shape suggesting the intended purpose.

Most collectors with a few years of experience shun the more common forms such as plates and other tablewares giving preference to unusual shapes and pieces such as the large swan bowl with baby swans serving as individual egg cups, inkwells, chamber sticks, large decorative vases, urns and ewers.

Although most people associate the figures of Breton and Norman country people in costume with typical Quimper decoration, these are not usually the most sought after of the designs. Special attention is being paid to the unique art deco designs as well as the beautiful flowers depicted in the botanical series. Other lines include a classic blue and white fleur de lis, Breton coats of arms and the popular and colorful geometric themes which feature bright colors and patterns suggestive of the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch of the 18th century.

Quimper pottery was not marked until the last half of the 19th century when the first of the characteristic HB marks appeared. Other marks include HR, AP, Quimper Faience, HenRiot Quimper and a combination of these. Many pieces are marked on the front, and the early pieces are now rare and hard to find. Quimper is still being manufactured, but most collectors look for the unusual early pieces.

As is always the case, condition is important but it must be understood that the nature of tin-glazed pottery is that it chips with great ease, thus most collectors are more tolerant of minor chips than they would be with fine porcelain.

Robert Croul of Newburgh is the NEWS antiques columnist.


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