Parrots In Arizona......by Cerélle

Parrots in Arizona ?
Yes, we really do have parrots...

There are two native varieties, very scarce, to be found in Southern Arizona. The Coppery-tailed Trogon is a summer resident of far southern Arizona, and lucky the person who has seen him. Even more rare is the Thick-billed Parrot, who has been found in southeast Arizona. They have tried to reintroduce more of them, but with only limited success due to the large number of resident hawks.

And surprisingly, we here in our neighborhood have some fascinating little squeaky-voiced, colorful guys who have been around for at least twenty years now, and have naturalized quite happily. Some years back, a small private zoo with an aviary caught fire and the only way the firemen could save these birds, was to release them. Lucky for them, lucky for US!


So now, we have these wonderful peach-faced lovebirds who come to the feeder and live in the palm trees and have new fledglings each year. It is delightful to see the "peachies", sometimes in a flock of up to twenty, all in the little tree which holds the feeders. When the sun hits their feathers, it is just breathtaking! We even had a turquoise and white parakeet who joined this flock for a couple of years..and must have been quite well accepted as we can surely identify the offspring who show this whitish head, turquoise-green body coloration in certain members of the flock. Here is a Peachy on the birdbath.


Another visitor we had for at least four years was a wonderful big chartreuse parrot which I finally identified via a web site on parrots. Upon writing to the site with a description and then a photo, she was identified as a ring necked parakeet...a BIG parakeet - about 17 inches long, and as this one did not have the "ring", she was a female. In reading about her, I found that though originally from India and Pakistan, there is a large population of them who were escaped birds and have now naturalized in Bakersfield, California. I wonder if this one blew over here in a storm..as have some brown pelicans from time to time, or if she got away from someone here.


"Our" parrot was a joy to see and became a regular guest at the seed feeder. About two years ago, a new neighbor who was evidently ignorant of the fact that "Greenie" slept in the large hole in their date palm, cut it down and so we no longer have our wonderful guest! I hope she found another good place and is still flourishing. Sure miss seeing her, though.

So it is with pleasure that I add parrots to my collection, whenever I can find them. Among my favorite pieces are these Desvres parrots. They are large, fully 10 inches tall (25 cm) and with great colors and glass eyes.


I also have a charming little parrot which I have been hoping to identify...only 5.75 in (14.5 cm) high and finely painted and detailed. Anyone know this mark? Perhaps it is German?




This HB quimper covered jar sits on my kitchen window sill and is a source of great delight. It has survived in fine condition..lid too, and the colors and the repeating pattern of floral designs with the featured parrot is a favorite of mine.



Then there are parrots on plates and platters and cache pots and wall fonts..and all of the wonderful items with the Rouen designs which I love so well. I think that I can never get quite enough of these. I love the cornucopia, the carnations, and best of all the parrots. These could have been made in Desvres, in Quimper, in Sinceny, or perhaps if old enough, in Rouen itself.




Not too long ago I happened upon a great big soupiere WITH platter on eBay..and fell for it immediately! It was heavy, and perhaps that scared off the competition as I won it easily. I am crazy about the way it is painted, and just discovered it in the book, French Faïence, by Jeanne Giacomotti. It was identified as Sinceny..even perhaps Rouen, as evidently they were so alike.




The date is set at 1760..Oh MY! As you see, it not only has the carnations and rocailles but lots of little parrots, too!


Another piece which is special to me, is a parrot plate which has been identified by one of our club experts as being early Quimper in the Nevers style. I just love the colors in this, and the free-hand flourish in the painting.


I guess that whether a living-free parrot, or a parrot captured in clay and paint, they just bring a lift to my heart!

BLUE has friends......................by Cerelle B

Blue with Red and White says "Homeland" to me, and to the French, "Patrie".

It brings forth feelings of Love of Country, as our flags and patriotic decorations are in this combination.

As we have recently seen in the World War I and World War II plates produced by Henriot, that combination of colors tells us to protect our country even before we read the rest of the message.

Click here and here to read more about these plates.

Let us all today remember and thank all of the men and women who fought to save our world and our freedom. We will not forget, and we salute you all on Veterans Day, November 11, 2009.
This faïence platter by Raymonde Pennanec'h shows the joy of the people on the day of liberation as they dance in the streets beyond the St. Corentin Cathedral in Quimper. (photo by Adela Meadows)


Blue with Yellow says Sea and Sunshine, and Sky and Sunflowers with their faces turned to the sun reflecting that yellow, cheery and happy...and is an oft used combination in the South of France.

This amusing jug with the fabulous flowers is by Delacourt...and the next, in the true intense sunlight yellow, is from Angouleme.


Blues with green says Peaceful and Cool, Meadows and Streams and fresh breezes.
These platters from Geo Martel say it all, do they not?



But blue has a special friend in the colors of Imari. Blue with the Rusty Red and sometimes highlighted with the glint of gold, are beloved and have been adopted in French Faïence.

Rouen, and later Desvres and other faïenceries including Quimper became enchanted with the combination. Many of the great chargers seen in museums are either blue and white or this great Imari inspired coloration, such as this one we saw at the museum in Rouen on our trip with the Quimper Club International in 2007.


I have a special old Imari charger that came to me from my grandmother. She was born in 1869, and I believe she received it no later than 1900. I imagine that it was already old then, but I do not know. It is another case of not being able to read the marks! My father always told me that it had been a gift to her that was brought back from Japan by a missionary friend. That too, was her proudly displayed treasure all her life long. Perhaps this love of hand painted ceramics is in the genes, do you think?




When I acquired two quite large Desvres chargers,
I found it very easy to display them with my Imari
plate and close to my de Porceleyne Fles Delft pieces.

They became immediate friends
and it pleases me to see them close together.


And well, you KNOW how one thing leads to another.

I love roosters, don't we all?
I once found this huge red glazed rooster, no mark at all, in an antique store in Springfield, Ohio...but he is wonderful and so he came home with us.

Then there was the Limoges tankard I saw in an antique store in Pasadena, California. It was SO beautifully painted in lovely reds and golds and some purples on the grapes...just a wonderful piece of art.

I DO NOT collect Limoges, I sternly told myself. But after we returned home, I weakened and wrote to the store and now here it sits among my Delft and my French faïence... my one example of Limoges, and he seems quite happy there, too.







It seems that so many styles of ceramics will be friendly, and the colors can make them very good companions.

I guess when it comes right down to it, my philosophy of collecting must be:
If you LOVE it, you LOVE it!