Vintage 1940s HB Quimper Wall Pocket Vase Bagpipe Shape – Breton Faience Quimper Pottery Cornemuse Model 541

This is a hand-painted Quimper pottery wall pocket vase made by HB Quimper (Grande Maison, de la Hubaudière) of Quimper, Brittany, France. The piece is formed in the sculptural shape of a Breton bagpipe (cornemuse), a traditional instrument associated with the folk culture of Brittany.

The front is decorated with a Breton woman in traditional regional costume, a classic subject seen in Breton pottery and Quimper faience. The decoration is painted in the familiar Quimper palette of cobalt blue, rust red, green, and yellow against a cream faience ground. The molded ribbon bow at the top enhances the illusion of a decorative bagpipe hanging on the wall.

The reverse is marked “HB Quimper 541.” The number 541 is the factory model or shape number, a marking system introduced in 1942. While many examples of Quimper pottery include the decorator’s initials, this example does not show an artist signature.

HB Quimper pottery later merged with the Henriot Quimper factory in 1968, and today pieces from both factories are widely collected under the name Henriot Quimper pottery.

This piece functions as a wall pocket or wall vase, designed to hang from the hole on the back.

Maker: HB Quimper (Grande Maison, de la Hubaudière)
Origin: Quimper, Brittany, France

Measurements

Height: 7 7/8 inches
Width: 5 inches at the widest point
Depth: approximately 2 inches

Condition

No chips or cracks. There are a few light glaze craze lines visible under strong lighting, but they are not especially noticeable under normal viewing conditions. The glaze remains bright and the painted decoration is well preserved.

A charming example of mid-20th century Quimper pottery, combining traditional Breton folk art decoration with the unusual sculptural form of a bagpipe (cornemuse) wall pocket vase - great for a French country decor!