Treasured Finds.....by Melissa Bennett

October has arrived and with it our new Guest Blogger - Melissa who will be sharing her love of Quimper with us and co blogging from the annual QCI meeting in a few weeks time.

Melissa's first post today is linking to Vintage Thingies Thursday over @ Colorado Lady please hop on over to visit our gracious hostess Suzanne for more Vintage treasures.

Hi,

I'm Melissa and am delighted to be able to share my collection of Quimper, Desvres, and Rouen faience with you this month.

I became fascinated with the wonderful patterns and colors of Quimper faience almost 30 years ago when I inherited a luncheon set that my grandmother had purchased in 1939 in Chicago at Carson Pirie Scott department store - the first year Quimper was imported to the US for sale.

I started collecting other pieces at antique shows in the early 80's when it was still rare to see. Then in the late 90's I moved to eBay and my collection started to grow enormously! I had also been buying the new Quimper in Stonington and going to their yearly sales in the 90's. I was on their newsletter mailing list and heard about QCI being formed, and I was absolutely thrilled!!

I was unable to attend any of the annual meetings until they came to Boston and was absolutely delighted to meet the QCI members in person and share collecting stories, as well as make wonderful new friends!

Since then I have attended every meeting and was elected to the Board as Historian in 2006.

I'd like to share a collecting experience from the time in the early 1980's when I was just realizing there was a world of Quimper.

The pattern of my grandmother's set was the very popular Henriot pattern with the Breton or Bretonne stading in the center with shrubbery and a floral border around the edges, and with the signature blue line, and bright yellow border.

This set was marked Henriot Quimper and consisted of luncheon plates, cups and saucers and butter plates.

I was delighted with this set as it was unlike anything else I had seen.

Then the next year when I was cruising the antiques and crafts show with my best friend, an interior designer, she spotted some small plates, an oil and vinager huillier, and a beautiful fan shaped wall ornament. I had no idea there were other patterns and colors of Quimper and started asking the dealer about them. I was particularly interested in the fan shaped object.

He knew only a little bit about these items and speculated that since this was to hang on a wall it was a vase. I was so enthralled that I bought it despite the cracks and chips, not knowing that that affected it's value greatly.







The blue and white cross-hatching is enhanced with tiny red x's on the sides.

Upon early research in Sandara Bondhus's book Quimper Pottery: A French Folk Art Faience I discovered that it was for holding matches and was probably hung on the wall next to the fireplace.

It is signed HB Quimper and was probably made in the 1920's. I hang it on one side of my mirror, paired with a square match holder, so I can see it every morning!

I adore this little item and it will always remind me of my first purchase and the start of my hunting craze!

au revoir

Melissa