Litron cup and saucer, manufactory Moitte in Paris

Lovely litron-shaped cup and matching saucer decorated with little flowers and friezes of flowers and geometrical shapes in gold. Marked with a letter M for the manufactory of Moitte, follower of the Clignancourt or “Monsieur” manufactory in Paris. This charming cup is a good example of the manufactory’s style and production. Great condition.

Size: H 5.5cm – diameter of the saucer 13.5cm

Manufactory of Moitte 1792-1799

Lit : Clignancourt porcelain was manufactured in Montmartre in a factory protected by the king’s brother, Monsieur comte de Provence. From 1771 onwards, on the initiative of architect Pierre Deruelle, a hard paste porcelain factory was established on the hill of Montmartre, near Clignancourt. Due to Deruelle’s integrity and the excellent quality of his porcelain, Monsieur, Count of Provence, granted him protection by patent in 1775. The factory’s mark, a blue underglaze mill (from Montmartre), was replaced by the prince’s initials (LSX for Louis Stanislas Xavier or the crowned M) because Monsieur was the brother of King Louis XVI and the future Louis XVIII. This patronage brought him great prestige and significant growth. Also known as the ‘Monsieur’ factory, it employed up to 94 workers.

The Sèvres factory carried out several seizures in 1779 and 1780, both at the factory and at the shop on Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, where enormous quantities of porcelain were found. In fact, only Sèvres had the right to use colours and gold for the decoration of its porcelain. After a lengthy legal battle, his protector obtained a stay of prosecution. In 1787, the Clignancourt factory was granted the same privileges as Sèvres. The Revolution led Deruelle to accept political office, notably that of prosecutor of the Commune in 1790. Of his eight children, two daughters married ceramists. Dorothée Charlotte married the painter Alexandre Moitte (1750-1828), who worked at the factory and was the brother of the sculptor Jean Guillaume. It was his son-in-law who bought the factory in 1791. The mark evolved to include the names ‘Moitte’ or ‘Clignancourt’ or the letter M. Despite his efforts and high-quality production, the business declined in 1799.

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