Small Antique Bowl – Manufacture Elite Works (Bawo & Dotter) – Limoges, c. 1896–1902

Small antique Limoges porcelain bowl, decorated with pink flowers and bearing two marks characteristic of Bawo & Dotter (Elite Works) productions.

Round and compact in size, the bowl features a slightly scalloped rim highlighted by a fine gilt line. The interior is adorned with delicate polychrome floral decoration, comprising bouquets and blossoms in various shades of pink, accompanied by foliage in soft green and olive tones.

The composition is arranged around a continuous floral garland along the rim, with larger bouquets positioned at regular intervals. The centre, largely left white, features a small floral bouquet repeating the flowers and foliage found in the surrounding decoration.

The design, with its soft, subtly diffused colours, is characteristic of the floral patterns found on Limoges porcelain from the turn of the 20th century. The fine gilt border elegantly emphasises the outline of the piece.

The underside bears two marks. The first, in green, reads “ELITE / L / FRANCE”. The second, printed in red, features three fleur-de-lis above the inscription “LIMOGES FRANCE”. This corresponds to a decorating mark associated with Bawo & Dotter / Elite Works. It is the earliest variant used by the studio, applied specifically between 1896 and 1900, with some sources extending its use to 1902.

The combination of these two marks identifies the piece as a production of the Elite Works establishment in Limoges, associated with Bawo & Dotter, and helps date it more precisely to c. 1896–1902.

Thanks to its small size, the bowl can be used as a small catchall, a decorative dish or as part of a tea service, for example to hold a used tea bag after brewing. It can also accommodate a small treat or a few small objects. Its delicate floral decoration and gilt border make it an attractive decorative object.

A small, non-through hairline crack is visible on the underside, extending inward from the rim. The decoration remains clearly legible and retains its delicate colours.