Elegant and richly styled, this antique porcelain sauce boat from the renowned Tournai manufactory features a hand-painted cobalt blue floral motif on a creamy white ground. The body is delicately molded with basket-weave relief around the rim and adorned with graceful twin handles and a flared spout. The floral decoration is executed in the Blue Onion (Bleu de Tournai) tradition — a hallmark of the factory’s production during the 19th century.
Tournai porcelain was prized across Europe for its refined quality and elegant adaptation of Meissen and Chinese export motifs. This particular example is marked with the blue cross of Tournai, used in various forms throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
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• Era: Likely mid-to-late 19th century
Details:
• Origin: Tournai, Belgium
• Material: Porcelain, underglaze cobalt blue hand painting
• Mark: Blue underglaze cross mark
• Dimensions: 19 x 17 cm / 7.5 x 6.7 in
• Condition: Visible glaze hairlines on the inner bowl and handle (see photos). No structural instability; holds together well and retains strong visual appeal.
(The photographs form an integral part of the description.)
A well-placed antique does more than decorate a room - it gives it authorship. Against a contemporary interior, older objects introduce texture, balance and a sense of permanence that cannot be replicated by newly made pieces alone.
This is the principle behind the LÜRON selection. We look for works that carry historical character with ease, and that feel as convincing in a Paris apartment as they do in a more modern architectural setting.
