Have a very pretty Limoges water pitcher going up for auction soon. So I did some research on it and found it to be very educational. Limoges is an area in France that has the Whitest Clay called Kaolin. So Limoges is "Generic" term for all "Porcelain" made in that region, somewhat more than 50% of French Porcelain is produced in Limoges area. Many companies came and went, or where merged since 1768 when the Kaolin was found.
As one can imagine production of porcelain dramatically dropped during the War and never recovered, although many factory's are still in operation to this day. American "Limoges" took much of the American Market.
Mine was made by the WG & Co, the mark indicates it was produced between 1891 and 1932.William Guerin started doing business in porcelain around 1836, his son's came into the business in 1903 as well. I wont bore you with a Company History you can Google as well or better than Me :) Ok so I know who made the pitcher, but whats the 2nd mark mean? "Hand Painted Stouffer"?
J.H. Stouffer Studios (1905-1952) was a very well respected "Decoration" Company in Chicago. Ahhh So then the "WG&Co" Limoges Pitcher was shipped here to Chicago and painted here. Good so far.
We now know my WG&Co Limoges pitcher was "Decorated" at "The Earliest: 1905, and the absolute latest is 1932.
Then I find the Artist Signed it, Pfohl. Not much out there on him.... Thanks to a RubyLane Seller I found out his name was Wenzel Pfohl. My best guess is this WG&Co Limoges Water Pitcher be 1908 to 1916 ish :)
Links to information used in this blog.
http://www.rubylane.com/
http://e-limoges.com/makers/guerin-limoges-boxes.php
http://antiques.about.com/od/ceramicsporcelai1/a/aa011601.htm
I have a VERY similar pitcher that I inherited from my mother 30 years ago. Mine if the same shape, gilded, but painted with grapevines. You didn't list what price you were going to ask for your piece and I would be VERY interested to know. Could you let me know? My email address if lynnmiller36@comcast.net Thanks.
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