Camille Le Tallec Paris Porcelain Tea Caddy, Hand-painted And Gilt, France 1950s

A fine French porcelain tea caddy or covered jar, designed and entirely hand-painted by the celebrated Camille Le Tallec atelier in Paris, circa 1950.

This elegant piece features a beautifully shaped body decorated with an unusual trompe-l’œil basketweave pattern, delicately outlined in brown and enhanced with fine gilt details. The woven decoration is complemented by charming hand-painted polychrome floral sprays and bouquets in shades of pink, purple, blue, yellow and orange. The shoulders are particularly richly ornamented with elaborate gilt scrollwork, stylised foliage and decorative flourishes inspired by the refined vocabulary of 18th-century French porcelain. The removable circular cover continues the basketweave motif and is surrounded by a delicate garland of colourful flowers.

Camille Le Tallec (1906–1991) took over a porcelain decorating workshop in Paris in 1930 and developed it into one of the most prestigious French porcelain decorating ateliers of the 20th century. The workshop became renowned for preserving traditional techniques of hand painting and gilding, producing highly refined pieces inspired by the great French porcelain traditions of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The underside bears the handwritten inscription “Dessiné et peint entièrement à la main par Le Tallec à Paris France”, confirming that the decoration was designed and entirely executed by hand at the Le Tallec atelier in Paris, together with the workshop’s painted marks.

The porcelain blank itself was most likely produced by a French porcelain manufacturer, possibly in Limoges, before being decorated by Le Tallec in Paris.

A particularly charming and highly decorative example of Camille Le Tallec’s work, combining meticulous hand painting, rich gilding and traditional French craftsmanship.

H. 15 cm / 5.9 in.
W. 8.5 cm / 3.3 in.