Small Lidded Sugar Bowl – Maison Legle – Limoges, c. 1970–1990

Small lidded sugar bowl in Limoges porcelain, made and decorated by Maison Legle, recognizable by the maker’s mark on the underside.

With its simple yet elegant form, this small sugar bowl features a gently rounded body resting on a small foot, topped with a softly curved lid. The lid is surmounted by an arched handle with smooth, slightly undulating contours, adding a particularly decorative touch to the piece.

The porcelain has a luminous, slightly cool white tone, with a very subtle bluish tint that is especially noticeable in the light. The piece is decorated with an abundant polychrome floral design, featuring large powder-pink flowers accompanied by small white blossoms with pink centres, leaves and foliage in soft shades of beige, grey and green. The decoration flows freely across the body and continues onto the lid, creating a particularly harmonious composition.

The small white flowers feature very subtle moulded relief, standing slightly proud of the painted decoration and creating an interesting textural effect. The larger flowers are rendered in a delicate and understated palette, with finely drawn outlines.

The overall aesthetic is characteristic of certain productions from the second half of the 20th century, combining the traditional refinement of Limoges porcelain with a freer and more expressive floral decoration.

A charming piece for use as a sugar bowl, and equally appealing as a small decorative object.

Maison Legle comes from a family deeply rooted in the Limoges porcelain tradition. Its history can be traced back to a family workshop established in Limoges in the late 19th century. In 1953, André and Hugues Lebouc founded Legle, initially focusing on porcelain decoration. The house subsequently developed a particularly well-regarded expertise in the use of colours and enamels, notably grand feu enamels.

It is therefore important to distinguish between the manufacture of the porcelain body and its decoration: for older pieces bearing this mark, Legle should primarily be regarded as the house responsible for the decoration and/or its distribution, rather than automatically as the manufacturer of the white porcelain body. This distinction is particularly relevant as Legle is officially listed today as a “Decorator” within the Porcelaine de Limoges Geographical Indication sector. The mark “LEGLE – Porcelaine d’Art – LIMOGES – FRANCE” therefore provides a particularly interesting identification of this Limoges porcelain and decoration house.