Featured Porcelain – Caen – CAEN – M. Le François – Le François à Caen – LELIÈVRE – MAISON E. LELIÈVRE

Porcelain – Caen – CAEN – M. Le François – Le François à Caen – LELIÈVRE – MAISON E. LELIÈVRE

I have exhausted my limited research abilities and need to communicate with somebody who has a knowledge of porcelain manufacture in Caen (Normandie). Do we have such a member in the group?

I found this porcelain tray in a charity shop. The quality seemed good and the design impressive so and I handed over my €10.



The stamens in the flows are raised, and the butterfly throws a shadow ahead of it. The background of the tray is two blue waves with white in the centre dividing them.

There is no damage other than extensive rubbing to the top rim gilding due to normal use.

The back bears a red Mark: - LELIÈVRE / PORCELAINES / CAEN



There is also an incised symbol or signature, like '@' or a 'd'




Size: 40 cm x 33 cm x 1 cm height
The material is hard porcelain.

I was initially hopeful that it was made at the Caen factory that operated between 1797 and 1812, although I had some concerns because my CAEN was upper case, and the literature (I never saw an original mark) referred to it being lower case, and the appearance of the name LELIÈVRE.

My concerns were confirmed but both Sotheby’s and Phillips, both of whom said it was below their price range. If it had been the real McCoy I would have expected €1,000 to €1,500. Phillips suggested I send it to a specific auction house in Paris, which valued it at €60 to €80, and suggested I send it to my local town auctioneer: the local company saw no merit in it.

I looked at LELIÈVRE, and came up with MAISON E. LELIÈVRE, it was functioning in 1870, but I haven’t established when it started business.



Then I returned to my 15th edition of William Chaffer’s ‘Marks & Monograms on European and Oriental Pottery & Porcelain, and found something I had overlooked because I wanted it to be the 1797 factory.





And that’s where I am today. I can find no references to M. Le François, and my previous emails to the local Caen auctioneer, which has previously auctioned items and collections of Caen porcelain; and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen.

Hence this appeal for specialist knowledge. Is there anybody out there???

Thank you all.

 

I don't have any specific information other than the general overview from the images. But from what I can see from the style, the fact that it appears to be painted over a transfer print outline and the way the mark is produced suggests to me it is early 20th century in period.

Also note French retailers sometimes had their marks put on porcelain instead of the makers mark, and I suspect that may be the case here with it being made by one of the many Limoges factories and marked for the retailers.

 

@Ce BCA
Thanks for your comments. I attach the individual elements to see if you confirm your assessment. It is a pity I have no further information on Maison E Lelievre.

I could try for an improved photograph of the butterfly if you consider it to b useful.

 

Being retailed at Caen doesn't necessarily mean it was made there.

 

No, it doesn't; but there is some documented evidence that somebody, M. Le Francois, was making it there. Perhaps Francois and Lelievre were partners; perhaps not.

There are many things in life we don't know. The fun is finding out what they are.

A friend of mine was burgled, and amongst the stolen items was a commemoration mug for the coronation of King George VI produced by Wagstaff and & Brunt. This surprised me. The coronation was 1937, W&B's pottery had closed in 1927, ten years earlier.

W&B still had a wholesale selling agency, and commissioned another pottery to make the mugs and put their name on it. A sort of reverse breach of the law against 'passing off'.

 

The form is very much derived from silver shapes.

 

that Maison Lelièvre was a rental company for whole sets of restaurant equipment. "location de service de table" and ideally situated near the St.Martin railway station that was the endpoint of the line for the seaside resorts and spas.
not unusual at the time when the holiday seasons were shorter than today to rent whatever was additionally needed for the high-season or for big parties; most visitors came from Paris.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caen_Saint-Martin_station

I'm rather sure that Monsieur The-Hare (Lelièvre) looked to get good and stable but also mediocre stuff for a good price that would fit in with the style of his regular customers.

 

Thank you @Fid that fits in well. The date on the invoice is 10 January 1880, and the station opened in 1875. I think that if I had commissioned special crockery, Maison de Lelievre would have been a better stamp that just Lelievre; and I'd have done it from the day the shop opened, sometime before January 1880, the date on the invoice.

There would have been no need for 'France' to be included as the export require to the USA and part of Europe was not in place, but could also support @Ce BCA's early 20th Century, as it was not intended for export. However, If I had been MdeL, I would have started that way which takes us to sometime before 1880.

Need to find out when MdeL started. So back to the Museum and the Maire.

 

could as well have been stolen by a tourist.
my mother was a born Swissair...

 

@Fid I confess this fell into my suitcase a month before the Shah fell to the people. Prophetic! On the other hand I have preserved, what would have been destroyed, for history.

 

I don't understand where this Le François comes from ?

 

@Fid The only reference I have found is in William Chaffer’s book ‘Marks & Monograms on European and Oriental Pottery & Porcelain and that is 1968 in the 15th edition. At what stage it appears I don't know. The 7th edition is dated 1886.

I will pursue this with the museums in Caen; but they seem different to British ones, unhelpful and non-responding.

 

it's not their job and they are employed by the community. besides the missing education and no spikka da langweege.