Théodore Deck, Pair of yellow and blue porcelain planters, 19th century

Jean Bénard for the MLA Paris Manufactory, in the taste of.

Théodore Deck, in the taste of.

Pair of yellow and blue circular shape porcelain planters with enameled fauna and flora decor. Frieze next to the neck formed with geometrical motifs. Blue sinuous frieze with stylized flowers and foliage decor near to the neck and with beads on the bottom of the planter. Bulged body with a yellow background, adorned with embossed enameled motifs of oak branches, ivy, flowers, a russet sparrow and butterflies.

One of the planters dated 1897 with red numbers, numbered 172, carries a rectangular stamp. The other planter also numbered 172 and 1872, carries an octagonal blackened tag trace, unreadable.

Similary work realized by Jean Bénard for the Manufacture MLA Paris, in the taste of the creations of Théodore Deck realized in the 19th century.

Théodore Deck (1823-1891) was a French ceramist who has worked for great princely and imperial German sponsors at the beginning of his career. During the 1840’s-1850’s, he worked for different manufacturers of pottery and faience. In 1858, Deck brothers created their ceramic company and produced many shaped pieces. He exposed his creations during many Salons and international exhibitions and ended up to access to the director function of the Sevres Manufacture in 1887.
He used the transparent enamels technique and developed a metallic highlights technique inspired by Islamic, Japanese ceramic or majolica. The turquoise blue became his signature and is still called “Bleu Deck” today.

Similar models signed Théodore Beck are closed to our planter model. However, he died in 1891, so the date of planters is closed to creations by Jean Bénard for MLA Paris.

Similar models by Théodore Deck sold during the Aguttes sale “Art Décoratifs du XXe” of the 19 June 2013, lot n°20 and during the Aguttes Lyon sale “Arts Décoratifs du XXe” of the 29 avril 2015, lot n°1.