A jewel of French porcelain artistry, straight from a Parisian atelier renowned by collectors worldwide.
This exquisite covered bouillon cup and saucer was entirely hand painted by the celebrated Le Tallec workshop of Paris. A vivid coral ground is framed by intricate gold scrollwork and lattice motifs, opening onto cartouches painted in soft blue-grey tones with musical trophies — lyres, mandolins, horns — each wrapped in delicate foliage. Elegant gilt swan-form handles and a sculpted finial complete this refined, richly decorated piece.
Type: Covered bouillon cup with saucer
Period: Mid-20th century
Material: Hand painted porcelain, gilt decoration
Dimensions: Total height 20 cm (7.9 in) | Cup diameter 15 cm (5.9 in) | Width with handles 21.5 cm (8.5 in) | Saucer diameter 20.5 cm (8.1 in)
Origin: Le Tallec, Paris, France
Condition: Perfect, no wear
The craftsmanship is immediately visible in the fluid brushwork of the musical cartouches and the crisp gilding along every rim and handle, all built up by hand in the traditional manner of fine French porcelain painting. The piece is signed on the underside in iron-red script, "Dessiné et peint entièrement à la main par Le Tallec à Paris France," along with the workshop's blue LT monogram mark and the painter's initials, C.S.
Founded by Camille Le Tallec, a graduate of the École du Louvre, the Paris atelier built its reputation on porcelain painted entirely by hand in the tradition of Sèvres. From 1961 the workshop entered a celebrated collaboration with Tiffany & Co., which acquired the atelier in 1990 — a lineage that places pieces like this one among the most sought-after names in 20th-century French decorative porcelain.
As a striking, generously scaled piece, it makes a beautiful table centerpiece or a standout addition to a cabinet or étagère, equally at home displayed on its own or set for a special occasion.
This piece speaks to collectors of French porcelain, admirers of Tiffany Private Stock and Le Tallec workshop pieces, and anyone drawn to hand-painted decorative arts with real history behind them.
Being a one-of-a-kind piece, its clear maker's mark, and its untouched, wear-free condition make it a rare find rarely seen at this scale — a lasting addition for anyone who appreciates authentic, hand-painted French craftsmanship.
This Le Tallec Paris covered bouillon cup and saucer brings together hand-painted porcelain artistry, gilt musical trophies on a coral ground, and the pedigree of a Parisian atelier tied to Tiffany & Co. — a true collector's piece for lovers of fine French decorative porcelain.
