Teapot – Manufacture Charles Ahrenfeldt – Limoges, c. 1925–1935

Limoges ivory porcelain teapot, made by the Charles Ahrenfeldt manufactory.

The piece features a form particularly representative of the aesthetic renewal of the 1920s–1930s: a structured silhouette, slightly faceted body, geometric handle, stylised spout, and lid with understated contours.

The teapot features delicate polychrome floral decoration composed of roses, wildflowers, and foliage in shades of pink, blue, yellow, and green. An elegant celadon tone highlights several elements of the piece: the spout, handle, lid finial, and the upper section surrounding the lid. Fine gold trim and accents complete this refined palette and emphasise the geometric lines of the form.

The piece elegantly illustrates a period of transition in which the formal vocabulary of Art Deco still coexisted with floral decoration inherited from the Limoges porcelain tradition. The mark on the underside identifies the piece as Charles Ahrenfeldt, Limoges.

Excellent overall condition considering its age.

Charles Ahrenfeldt was one of the important names in Limoges porcelain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially a porcelain decorator, he had his own manufactory built in Limoges in 1894, in the Faubourg Montjovis. The company developed a high-quality production largely intended for export, particularly to the United States. It was especially distinguished at the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris, where it received a Grand Prix. Affected by the economic crisis of 1929, the manufactory gradually declined until its closure in 1969.