The first soft paste porcelains of Rouen

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

We are around 1690. The porcelain of China fascinates Europeans and generates the experiments of the manufacturers. Almost a century after the achievements of Medici workshops, soft paste techniques are to be reinvented. Delft and Rouen centres are pioneers in this research, and at such an early date Meissen and St. Cloud are still far from being started.

In Rouen, it was a faience maker named Louis Poterat who managed to develop this technique, on which he worked alone and unaided, and Sotheby's explains that his knowledge died with him in 1696.

A soft porcelain pot from his workshop got the top place (first lot, numbered 501) at the sale of 69 lots that Sotheby's Paris devote entirely to Rouen ceramics before 1740, on June 18.

It is monochrome blue on a white background, in imitation of Chinese porcelains. It is a cylinder 10 cm in height and 9.5 cm in diameter, without a cover. The decor is fine and pleasant, the drawing is not too heavy.

Sotheby's wants 100 K €. In my opinion, this price will be achieved.

A Parisian highlight of the fourth quarter of 2007, well presented during the Temps forts exhibition of Drouot in November, was another production of Louis Poterat. A little smaller (9 cm) but covered and fitted with a handle, this pot, also monochrome but with a more dense blue, was sold 170 K € before fees by Ferri on December 12.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This lot was sold 120 K€ including fees, in compliance with its estimate.