{"product_id":"pillivuyt-pilivite-harvest-fruit-handled-dish-mehun-sur-yevre-france-c-1935-1945","title":"Pillivuyt  Harvest Antique Fruit Dish Mehun-sur-Yèvre France c. 1935–1945","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Piece\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA delicately formed \u003cstrong\u003e1935–1945 Pillivuyt “Pilivite” handled dish\u003c\/strong\u003e, created in Mehun-sur-Yèvre during the early era of French ovenproof porcelain. Its oval silhouette—with softened ends, gentle curvature, and slim, fluted handles—gives the piece a quiet sculptural grace. The rim is traced in warm gilt, subtly worn from decades of careful use, catching light with the softness of aged jewelry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the center rests a beautifully printed autumn still life: two mottled apples, clusters of currants, open walnuts, and small seasonal sprigs—an intimate composition typical of French domestic wares produced between the wars. The decoration is modest yet poetic, evoking the rhythm of the countryside kitchen table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough small in scale, the dish holds itself with the presence of heirloom utility: a fragment of French culinary culture, refined in form and made to withstand both heat and daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Construction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e→ \u003cstrong\u003eForm \u0026amp; Style\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthentic \u003cstrong\u003emid-1930s to mid-1940s Pillivuyt Pilivite\u003c\/strong\u003e design, characterized by:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA shallow, oval bowl with lifted center well and gently rising rim\u003cbr\u003eFluted “eared” handles that frame the form with quiet elegance\u003cbr\u003eHand-applied gilt detailing along the lip and handle edges\u003cbr\u003eChromolithographic fruit-and-nut motif placed with early-century restraint\u003cbr\u003eA silhouette that balances French farmhouse warmth with refined porcelain craft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dish reads as both utilitarian and decorative, embodying the understated beauty of prewar and wartime French tableware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e→ \u003cstrong\u003eMaterials\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHard-paste French porcelain body\u003cbr\u003eGlossy, high-fired white glaze developed for oven use (“porcelaine à feu”)\u003cbr\u003eHand-applied gilt trim\u003cbr\u003eChromolithographic harvest transfers\u003cbr\u003eKiln-fired pigments with warm, naturalistic tonal variation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese materials reflect Pillivuyt’s commitment to merging everyday functionality with durable, elevated craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e→ \u003cstrong\u003eTechnique\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlip-cast porcelain shaped in the Mehun workshops\u003cbr\u003eEdges trimmed and refined by hand before firing\u003cbr\u003eChromolithographic transfer applied under glaze for permanence\u003cbr\u003eGilt brushed on in thin, deliberate strokes\u003cbr\u003eDual firings to achieve clarity, resilience, and heat resistance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is a small but expertly executed object—one that speaks to the precision and pride of early 20th-century French porcelain houses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Provenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade between \u003cstrong\u003e1935 and 1945\u003c\/strong\u003e, this piece belongs to the era when Pillivuyt was refining its Pilivite line: ovenproof porcelain engineered for everyday French kitchens. These dishes accompanied casseroles, roasting pans, and gratins in households that valued durability, simplicity, and beauty in daily ritual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mark—\u003cem\u003ePILIVITE \/ PORCELAINES À FEU \/ PILLIVUYT \u0026amp; CIE \/ MEHUN \/ MADE IN FRANCE\u003c\/em\u003e—confirms production in Mehun-sur-Yèvre during the company’s transitional pre- and wartime decades, before the introduction of later date-coded export stamps. The harvest motif echoes the aesthetic priorities of the time: seasonal abundance, modest ornamentation, and domestic comfort despite austerity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, it stands as a preserved example of French culinary heritage—a quiet, useful relic from a period when even small household pieces were made with intention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeautifully preserved early-mid-century condition, including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBright, intact harvest transfer with excellent color stability\u003cbr\u003eGilded rim and handles with light, graceful wear\u003cbr\u003eGlossy glaze with minimal craze or abrasion\u003cbr\u003eClean interior well and structurally sound porcelain body\u003cbr\u003eExpected surface wear consistent with an 80-90-year-old utilitarian piece\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA charming and highly displayable example of authentic French Pilivite ovenware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItem:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pillivuyt Pilivite Handled Dish\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e c. \u003cstrong\u003e1935–1945\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaker:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pillivuyt \u0026amp; Cie, Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hard-paste porcelain, gilt\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDecoration:\u003c\/strong\u003e Chromolithographic fruit \u0026amp; nut harvest motif\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e4 in. × 4 in.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e French Country \/ Early Modern Domestic \/ Culinary Heritage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Preserved vintage condition with gentle gilt wear\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trinket dish, small serving piece, jewelry catchall, display object\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy It Belongs in Your Home\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dish brings the warmth of an interwar French kitchen into the modern home—quiet, storied, and effortlessly charming. It is perfect if you want a piece that:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarries authentic European provenance rather than reproduction nostalgia\u003cbr\u003eAdds gentle seasonal warmth to a bedside, vanity, or styled vignette\u003cbr\u003ePairs beautifully with natural woods, linens, woven textures, and warm metals\u003cbr\u003eFeels humble yet refined, with the soul of early French craftsmanship\u003cbr\u003eServes as a small, meaningful accent in curated spaces\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlaced on a dressing table, layered on open shelving, or presented as part of a collected grouping, it reads like a found treasure from a French country estate—useful, beautiful, and deeply human in scale.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viridian Eclection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42735807758441,"sku":null,"price":33.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/0093\/9369\/files\/pillivuyt_harvest_antique_fruit_dish_mehun-sur-yvre_france_c._19351945765542475376934419818594409.jpg?v=1773813424","url":"https:\/\/viridianeclection.com\/products\/pillivuyt-pilivite-harvest-fruit-handled-dish-mehun-sur-yevre-france-c-1935-1945","provider":"Viridian Eclection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}