Attractive antique Gustave De Bruyn marked 4pc ceramic smoker's set including tray, cigar & cigarettes(?) pots and match holder, all in a deep midnight or cobalt blue with gold enamel scrolling vines and foliage decoration & raised white & turquoise enamel "jewel" flower accents! A lovely set really and, as you can see, all pieces are in wonderful condtion. Of course, it was meant as a smoker's set but, the uses are really only limited by your imagination. All pieces have impressed markings (shown in images).
In 1864, Gustave De Bruyn built a factory on the corner of rue du Maréchal-Mortier and rue Sainte-Aldegonde in Fives-Lille and began his professional career. He filed a patent in 1885 for a process for hygienic glazing of pottery, and he stated: "The superiority of this glaze is undeniable because it contains no lead oxide" (at the time, nearly 50 to 75% of glazes used contained it.
Around 1886, he began producing decorative earthenware, which allowed the factory to experience significant growth and Gustave De Bruyn exhibited at the 1889 Paris World Exposition, receiving a silver medal for his fine earthenware and culinary pottery.
Very good to excellent condition. Some wear to the gold edges & rims but the rest of the decoration is intact and nearly pristine. No chips, cracks, damage or repairs that I can see.
The tray is 10” x 7.5” and 1” deep. Large pot is 2.5” tall with a 2.5” diameter, medium pot is 2 1/8” tall with a 2” diameter and the small pot is 1 3/4” tall with a 1 5/8” diameter.
