TROUSSEAU ET CIE Lantern #2 Mansion House Dwarves- Nevers French Faience, c1890

This is a rare and unusual antique Nevers French Faience whimsical Lantern in handled jug style form. 

The subject matter on the Lantern includes a décor of two caricature figures, Mansion House Dwarves, in colloquial costumes amid scenic decorative landscapes. The Dwarves have feathers in their slouch hats- one playing guitar, the other playing violin. The lantern has a front opening where a candle would be placed: the top is pierced with holes in front to release the heat. There is a knob on top, and a large rear handle the back. The inside and underside bottom of this lantern are glazed in white; the underside partially glazed and partly unglazed, showing the reddish-brown clay color typical of Nevers faience from this region.

The lantern has modeling, decorating, and glaze that are well done with typical colors of antique Nevers pottery: creamy white background decorated with varying shades of blue, yellow, green, orange, brown, and manganese.

The underside bottom has a maker's mark: a large a double ribbon bow in green glaze, with numbers and symbols in black- the mark of TROUSSEAU ET CIE (1885 - 1894), marks of old and original French Art Pottery. 

Dimensions (in inches):                   7.0 Tall X 3.8 Wide X 5.7 Deep

Weight                                             1 Lb., 2.5 Oz.

The estimated date is circa 1890.

This French Antique TROUSSEAU ET CIE Whimsical Lantern depicting Mansion House Dwarves is in very good condition. Condition status includes minimal normal wear and rubbing, glaze losses, firing flaws, crazing and fretting. This item is sound, having no chips, cracks, or major defects, and having had no apparent repairs or restorations. This item is sold as is, as described. Please see all photos which are a part of this description. Please note that this item is photographed in natural light; shadows that may appear as irregularities are not necessarily chips, cracks, or discoloration.

Mansion House Dwarves

Historically, the Mansion House Dwarves were actual dwarf actors who entertained and sold products outside at the historically famous Mansion House in London. Originally the theme of dwarfs represented in porcelains were modeled after the engravings of 17th Century French artist and engraver, Jacques Callot.

Nevers faience

Please note this faience item is from Nevers faience, not Quimper or Desvres. Though similar, there are different color palettes used and other nuances on the two potteries. Nevers faience manufacture was from central France in the area of the same name. The area was famous for superb art pottery known as faience; a pottery technique whereby tin glazes and decorations are applied over a modeled terra cotta or clay forms, and fired several times in a kiln.

The city of Nevers, Nièvre, now in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France, was a center for manufacturing faience, or tin-glazed earthenware pottery, between around 1580 and the early 19th century. Production then gradually died down to a single factory, before a revival in the 1880s. In 2017, there were still two potteries making it in the city, after a third had closed. However the quality and prestige of the wares has gradually declined, from a fashionable luxury product for the court, to a traditional regional specialty using styles derived from the past.

Nevers faience was one of the centers where the istoriato style of Italian maiolica was transplanted in the 16th century, and flourished for rather longer than in Italy itself. In the 17th century Nevers was then a pioneer in imitating Asian ceramic styles in Europe, within some decades followed by all producers of fine wares. The second half of the 17th century was Nevers' finest period, with several styles being made at the same time, including a grandiose Italianate Court style.

By the time of the French Revolution Nevers wares had ceased to be fashionable and expensive, but the relatively crudely painted faiences patriotiques wares commenting on political events have great interest and charm. A late 19th-century revival concentrated on high-quality revivalist wares recreating past glories. In 1838, 700 workers were reported to be employed, but by 1846 only six factories remained, and by 1850 five.

By 1875 its fortunes had reached a low ebb, and it was bought by Antoine Montagnon, who had ambitious plans to relaunch it to supply the market for revivalist wares imitating 17th-century pieces, often large and complex pieces. By 1881 it was the only factory left in Nevers. The Montagnon factory (faïencerie) was successful for over a century, with 50 employees around 1900, and its wares exhibited at international exhibitions, but the factory, by then the oldest in France, finally closed in 2015. In 2020, two factories remained in production, both mainly making traditional styles.

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Selling my personal collection of antiques: porcelain and pottery including French Faience, fine old nutcrackers and carvings, other objets d’Arte; interested to sell one at a time, or as a group in a collection. All inquiries welcome. Please bookmark this work; Listing Category and List Price are subject to change.

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