Antique Desvres faience jardiniere w/ scroll feet - Geo MARTEL 12½"

This striking crescent-shaped jardiniere (planter) dates from the early twentieth-century. It is lavishly decorated with floral bouquets and lambrequins and sits on scroll feet. It is signed underneath by the Geo Martel atelier (1872-1942) and is model number 688, registered in 1901.

Extract from Wikipedia (translated from French)

Although the first traces of pottery date back to Roman times, it was not until the middle of the 18th century that an earthenware industry developed in Desvres. The geological studies of the 19th century confirm the presence of significant deposits of raw material: “In the forest of Desvres, by piercing the layer of clay which is immediately under the green chalk, one finds a white layer of ferruginous sand which is used to make earthenware." In 1748, the Boulongne family of potters was present in Desvres; they made tiles there until 1848. The Level family took over in 1850, followed by Georges Martel, known as Geo Martel, in 1900. In 1764, the notary Jean-François Sta created the first Desvroise earthenware factory. It will be taken over by Louis Alexandre Dupré in 1802. This pottery will cease its activity in 1810. The Geo Martel, Masse and Gabriel Fourmaintraux earthenware factories have now ceased their activity but craftsmen perpetuate the traditions. In the 1990s, when the earthenware industrial structures lost momentum, former workers founded their own workshop. Among them, Kristine and Bruno Morel, Jean-Michel Régnier who produces earthenware stoves as well as Philippe Lambert, within the Phildéco workshop.