Fives Lille - Gustave De Bruyn - 花瓶 - 陶瓷

Gustave De Bruyn (Leuven 1838- Lille 1916) vase from Fives Lille. Model 4340 with meiklokjes and edelweiss-deco. The vase bears the signature of De Bruyn on the bottom. Gustave De Bruyn patented in 1885 the lead-free enamel glazing with superior quality, awarded with the silver medal at the Paris World Exposition in 1889.

Vase 1 :

Height 32.5 cm, Width 19.5 cm, Diameter 15.5 cm. Excellent condition, no chips, cracks or real scratches.


The faïencerie De Bruyn
An iconic earthenware factory from Fives-Lille
The earthenware factory De Bruyn, based in Fives-Lille in the north of France, is one of the leading French ceramic producers at the end of the 19th century. Founded by Antoine Gustave De Bruyn, a ceramicist of Belgian descent born in Leuven, it established itself in Lille in 1864 and quickly developed.
At that time Fives was an industrial center in full expansion, offering a favorable environment for large-scale production. The De Bruyn pottery employed up to several hundred workers and specialized in decorative and utilitarian earthenware.
A characteristic production: barbotine and natural decorations
The reputation of De Bruyn rests largely on its production of barbotine, a technique using liquid clay paste to create relief decorations.
From the 1880s the factory developed a wide range of products:
* zoomorphic or anthropomorphic jugs
* vases and plant pots with floral decoration
* garden pots and decorative objects
These pieces, often colorful and expressive, fully fit within the Art Nouveau movement, with motifs inspired by nature and organic forms.
An industrial history marked by market developments
After strong growth at the end of the 19th century, the earthenware factory De Bruyn experienced the economic developments of the 20th century.
The company remained active until midway through the century, before being taken over in 1950 and ultimately ceasing its activities in 1962.
This disappearance explains today why these pieces are found only on the antique market and among collectors.
Signatures and identification of De Bruyn ceramics
The De Bruyn pieces are usually marked under the base, with several variants by period:
* the inscription "Fives-Lille"
* the signature "De Bruyn" or "G. De Bruyn"
* relief stamp with initials or symbol (The De Bruyn logo is a D woven into a B, in the middle of an anchor)
* accompanying model number
Some signatures may appear in the material as relief, especially on the barbotine pieces, and are sometimes supplemented by the inscription MADE IN FRANCE.

Vase 2 :

Beautiful antique vase by the Belgian ceramicist Gustave De Bruyn (1881–1947), active in Fives-Lille (France). This vase was produced in the period 1920–1935 and is a fine example of his work in the transition from Art Nouveau to Art Deco.
Height: 29 cm Width: 12 cm Decoration: floral motifs in relief, with glossy multicolored glaze Marks on the bottom: mold number 4414 and atelier marking
Excellent condition, with no cracks, chips or any other possible defects.