French Rouen faience spice box Lambrequin decoration-Circa 1795-Superb quality

Superb and rare Rouen Spice box dating from the late 18th Century. There is an almost identical spice box on display at the V &A museum in London on the Ceramics floor - Room 137

The Rouen Faience started in the 1540's in Rouen, Normandy, France. This was the very first region to produce tin-glazed earthenware anywhere in the world.

The most famous was the Poterat family factory who in the 17th Century led by Louis Poterat developed the unique style known as Lambrequin - A style based on the Baroque fashion 

In the early 18th Century the French government limited the number of factories allowed to produce Faience wares in Rouen and Nicholas Fouquay bought the main Poterat factory. It is from this factory that this piece was made and with the Lambrequin decoration.

The hinges are made in Pewter and it is remarkable that a piece of tin-glaze earthenware has lasted in such good condition. Tin-glaze earthenware is notorious for being quite fragile and easily chipped.

The piece is marked with a known Rouen mark of HV

This is a piece for the Faience collectors and of Museum quality.

Dimensions: Length 13 cm(5 inches)  - Width 9.3cm (3.75 inches) and height 6.7cm (2.5 inches)