French Faïence HB QUIMPER OCTAGONAL TEACUP & SAUCER Circa 1940 - 1960

Tin-glazed known as faïence in France, was extremely popular in the 19th century.  Some of the finest examples were made in the town of Quimper, France pronounced “kem-pair” beginning in the late seventeenth century.  

This wonderful hand painted HB QUIMPER OCTAGONAL TEACUP AND SAUCER in "soleil yellow" was manufactured by the earliest firm, HB (Hubaudière-Bousquet), which was founded in 1685 by Jean Baptiste Bousquet.  The bowl of the cup measures 3 ¼” wide by 2 ¼” wide.  It is 4” wide including the handle.

The base of the TEACUP is marked HB / QUIMPER / FRANCE / C.D / 222 dating the piece between 1940 and 1960.  The number 222 is the décor number, while the C designates the head of the studio, and D the painter.  The base of the saucer is only marked, FRANCE.

The yellow glazed TEACUP features a Breton peasant girl and heart shaped flowers. The OCTAGONAL SHAPED SAUCER features the same flower motif.  The set is beautiful and the colors are gorgeous.  It is in great condition other than a few small nicks in the rim of the teacup.

In 1968, HB purchased the rights to the molds, designs and marks of it’s competitor, Faïencerie d’Art Breton, better known as Henriot and attempted to reorganize the two operations.   Today there is one commercially-active pottery factory in Quimper tracing its roots back to 1708 and Pierre Bousquet.  Since 2011, the firm has been run by Jean-Pierre Le Goff and signs the production “Henriot-Quimper.”