French Bird Motif Ceramic Box by Mithé Espelt, 1960s
A French ceramic box from the 1960s by Mithé Espelt, defined by its playful bird motifs and richly finished materials.
The rectangular form is composed of a blackened wood base topped by a ceramic lid, its surface framed in lustrous gold enamel. Two stylized birds unfold across the lid in shades of turquoise and blue, their elongated forms and expressive eyes giving the composition a distinctly whimsical character. Small floral and geometric details punctuate the design, creating a sense of movement across.
Espelt's work is known for bringing together ceramics, precious-looking finishes, and intimate decorative forms, and this box captures that sensibility on a particularly charming scale.
About Mithé Espelt
Marie-Thérèse Espelt (1923–2020), known as Mithé Espelt, was a defining figure in mid-20th-century French ceramics. Working largely in anonymity, she produced a wide range of gilded and enameled objects—mirrors, boxes, jewelry, and decorative wares—often featuring birds and vibrant, joyful motifs. Raised in the Camargue and trained at the Beaux-Arts in Montpellier, she was influenced early on by a creative circle that included Frédéric Mistral and Jean Hugo.
Her work gained early recognition through figures like Émilie Decanis and Charles Démery, leading to wider distribution through the Souleiado boutique. Though long overlooked or misattributed, her legacy has since been brought into focus—most notably through Antoine Candau’s retrospective study of her life and work.
DIMENSIONS: 10.75"W x 4"D x 2.5"H
ORIGIN: France
PERIOD: 1960s
MATERIALS: Ceramic,Wood
CONDITION:
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