SIGNED Antique HENRI DELCOURT~Faïence de Boulogne-sur-mer / Desvres, Circa 1920 Hand-Painted Lamp Base

This is an antique French hand-painted faience / majolica lamp manufactured by Henri Delcourt in Boulogne-sur-mer, France, circa 1920. It measures approx. 13” tall and 3½” wide. The stripes are reminiscent of designs on many of his vases and lamps, with fruit or flowers breaking up the striped effect. Henri Delcourt’s work later took on a more ‘Art Deco’ style. Note: This is the lamp base ONLY ... no shade included … but it has been rewired. Condition:  There is a chip on the ‘bottom’ of the base … otherwise it is in great working condition … no cracks.

Here’s a little history. The name ‘Desvres faïence’ refers to the ceramics manufactured in Desvres, France, in the département of Pas-de-Calais, but the faience produced nearby, at the seaside resort of Boulogne-sur-mer is often included in this group. Jules Verlingue established his faience factory at Boulogne-sur-mer in 1903. A decade later, part of the factory burned, creating financial distress and indebting Mr. Verlingue to his banker, Henri Léon Ulric Joseph Delcourt (1872-1963). The two formed a partnership, and when Verlingue left to operate a faience factory at Quimper (in Brittany) in 1917, Henri Delcourt continued to operate the faience factory at Boulogne-sur-mer. He gradually concentrated more and more on porcelain production instead of the more labor-intensive faience. Thus, most Henri Delcourt faience pieces date from the earlier production period during and just after World War I. As a result of the economic crash of the late 1920s, Henri Delcourt’s factory was closed in 1935.