Two French Pillivuyt Trompe L’oeil Covered Game Tureens

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These extremely charming and highly collectable tureens were produced by the renowned Pillivuyt factory in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France. At the beginning … Read more These extremely charming and highly collectable tureens were produced by the renowned Pillivuyt factory in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France. At the beginning of the 20th century, the company produced a collection of porcelain terrines inspired by game hunting, designed to cook and serve game pies.
Each rare French trompe l’oeil porcelain piece has the shape of a baked meat pie. The lids are sculpted to resemble a golden-brown pastry crust with the realistic head denoting the specific game animal inside—in this case, a hare (or rabbit) looking ahead with its glass eyes, and a delicately feathered partridge resting its scarlet beak. The lids have factory-made pinholes to safely release steam when baking.
The base and rims are meticulously molded and hand-painted to mimic a fluted, golden-brown baked pastry crust (pâté en croûte). This is typical of Pillivuyt's classic unglazed or matte-glazed exterior collection, designed to look like traditional French earthen baker's clay while offering the superior heat distribution of fine porcelain. The “PORCELAINES A FEU” marking on the bottom translates directly from French to "Fire Porcelains" or "Oven-to-table cookware.” It means the item was specifically engineered to withstand direct heat from cooking ovens, broilers, or wood fires without cracking. Or they can simply be enjoyed for their beauty while ornamenting your kitchen.
Signature/Maker’s mark: Nonexistent. Dimensions: Bird: 5.75”h x 9.25”d x 4.25”w; Rabbit: 6”h x 9.50”d x 4.50”w. See less