Jacques Blin, Orangeade Set

Jacques BLIN (1920–1995)
Orangeade set, circa 1955

Glazed ceramic with engraved decoration, consisting of a pitcher and seven cups.

Signed “J. Blin” on the base.


Dimensions:

Pitcher: H 30.5 x Base Diam. 9.5 x Total Diam. 16 x L 11.5 cm

Cups: H 13 cm x Neck Diam. 8 x base: 5 cm

Ceramic orangeade set consisting of a baluster-shaped pitcher, resting on a slight circular foot and featuring a side stirrup handle, accompanied by eight slightly flared truncated conical cups.

The set is coated with a remarkable glaze in shades of cobalt blue, petrol blue, and black, whose cloud-like effects and firing variations give each piece a unique character. The cups are accented, just below the rim, by a frieze engraved with small stylized motifs that also run around the neck of the pitcher. The interiors, left in glossy ivory glaze, offer an elegant contrast to the deeply hued exterior surfaces.

Each piece bears the incised signature J. Blin on the base.

Analysis and commentary:

This set perfectly illustrates the utilitarian work of Jacques BLIN during the 1950s, a period in which the ceramicist profoundly revitalized the aesthetics of postwar French ceramics. Trained as a chemical engineer before devoting himself entirely to ceramics, BLIN developed an exceptional mastery of glazes very early on, whose subtle textural effects became one of the hallmarks of his work.

Unlike the figurative pieces that would bring him fame (vases adorned with birds, figures, or imaginary animals), this collection favors a more minimalist approach. The engraved decoration, deliberately understated, allows the sculptural qualities of the ceramics to shine: the balance of volumes, the rich colors of the glazes, and the depth of the surfaces, sometimes evoking the patina of oxidized metals or certain Japanese ceramics.

Jacques BLIN’s complete dinner sets are today considerably rarer than his decorative vases. Intended for domestic use, they have often been dispersed over time, so that sets preserved in their original composition are now sought after by both collectors of French ceramics and enthusiasts of 1950s design.

Thanks to the quality of its glaze, its consistent condition, and the inclusion of the eight cups that accompany the pitcher, this set offers a particularly representative example of Jacques BLIN’s work in the field of tableware.

Bibliography:

Christine Lavenu, *Jacques Blin, Ceramicist and Storyteller*, Paris, 2019;

Vianney Frain, History of the Jacques Blin Studio, Éditions du Quai des Marais, Amboise, 2016.



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