Ref.10972
MANUFACTURE JULES VIEILLARD & CIE - Glazed ceramic dish with a parrot partitioned decoration

Large circular dish in enameled polychrome ceramic with light relief decoration of a parrot perched on a branch of Japanese cherry blossom on aubergine color background. Cartridge with fake Japanese calligraphy in the decoration. At the back, mark of the "Jules Vieillard et Compagnie" factory with the three intertwined croissants that take up the coat of arms of the city of Bordeaux. This mark indicates a period of manufacture between 1868 and 1895, that is to say at the time when the two sons of Jules Vieillard, Charles and Albert, direct the manufacture. But more precisely, one can undoubtedly attribute the genesis of this type of Japanese design to the presence of Amédée de Caranza, visionary workshop manager with a particular taste for Orientalism and Japanism. It is thanks to his talent and knowledge that the Bordeaux factory shines from the World's Fair 1878 . A large dish of the same model is reproduced in the book "Jules Vieillard et Cie, Histoire de la faïence fine à Bordeaux. De l'anglomanie au rêve orientaliste." by Jacqueline du Pasquier, p. 108.

Ref.14608
Large carved wood and stucco overmantel from the Napoleon III period

Large carved trumeau in wood and painted stucco in Regency style with mercury mirror.

Ref.14917
Pear in a Carafe Offered to President Sadi Carnot at the 1889 Universal Exhibition

This pear, preserved in a carafe of brandy, is a memento from the 1889 World’s Fair. It was presented to the President of the Republic at the time, Sadi Carnot, on this occasion. This pear in a carafe follows the traditional production of a particularly high-quality pear brandy. The first step occurs after the pear trees bloom: a bottle is placed over the pear, while it is still an embryo, a delicate and crucial step for the success of the operation. In August, when the pears reach maturity, the fruits and bottles are harvested. The bottles are then filled with alcohol, so the pear absorbs it; afterwards, the alcohol is removed and replaced with pear brandy. This pear in a carafe is over 130 years old. It is exceptional due to its longevity, but also because of the inscription that is still perfectly legible on the fruit. Indeed, this inscription had to be made before the pear was placed in the carafe, when it was only a few centimeters in size. It indicates the prestigious destination of this item: “Souvenir / de / L'Exposition Universelle / de / Paris 1889 / Mr Carnot President / de la / République française” (Souvenir of the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, Mr Carnot, President of the French Republic). Thus, this pear brandy carafe was presented to Sadi Carnot (1837-1894). After brilliant studies, Carnot became an engineer before engaging in the political life of his time. He was elected President of the Republic in 1887; the 1889 World’s Fair is one of the significant events of his term. He was assassinated by an Italian anarchist in 1894. Due to its origin and exceptional preservation, this pear in a carafe is therefore a historical object of prime importance.