This gravy boat is an exceptional table piece. Its form is imposing and highly elaborate: a boat-shaped body with two opposing spouts, a deeply undulating scalloped rim, an annular foot, and an integrated oval scalloped stand. The earthenware is white, luminous, and of impeccable quality. The Campanula decor is applied in dark green on a white background by transfer print: foliate scrolls, rococo volutes, and small bellflower blooms run in a continuous frieze along the rim of the gravy boat and the stand. The design is dense, precise, and executed with great finesse. The most remarkable detail is the dog-shaped handle, molded in relief on the body. This type of figurative handle, rare and sought after, is characteristic of bourgeois table services from the late 19th century, when manufacturers vied for inventiveness to distinguish their productions. The dog, a symbol of fidelity, was a popular motif for hunting tables and quality country interiors. The piece originates from the Grand et Millet factory, whose crowned escutcheon stamp with fleurs-de-lis appears on the reverse, along with the decor name. The gravy boat measures 11 cm in height, and the stand is 25 cm in length. The piece dates from the late 19th century, around . Good overall condition. Some signs of use and light glaze crazing, normal for its age. Decor intact.
Additional details:
- Brand: Grand et Millet
- Style: Rocaille
- Style: Bourgeois
- Material: Faïence
- Period: fin du XIXe siècle, vers