Neat little butter dish by Jean Pouyat (Limoges, France)

Porcelain : Antique

 

This charming piece seems to have been used for butter as it has an insert similar to the ones used in known butter dishes. It may have had some type of handle connecting the two raised parts that fit into notches on the lid. The bowl measures 5 1/2" across and is 1 3/4" high, not including the lid.

Note that the insert is not decorated, it is plain, glazed porcelain.

Gently used, there are no cracks, chips or repairs and the gold is only worn on the inner rim under the lid; the gold on the lid and handles is remarkably intact. Most of it shines like new. The pattern seems to be in the Art Nouveau style of the very early 20th century, before WW I or so. Indeed the marks on the bottom bear this out, as they were used bean Jean Pouyat at around that time.

The third mark shown is for Wanamaker's, named for its founder John Wanamaker, considered the father of America's department store industry. He was quoted as saying, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half." Little did he know we would still be buying and selling his goods a hundred years later!

Item ID: BD-JP-003