Antique French Faience Holy Water Font Benitier Dieu Vous Garde Folk Art 1800s For Sale
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Antique French Faience Holy Water Font Benitier Dieu Vous Garde Folk Art 1800s: $124.95
Antique French Faience Holy Water Font Benitier Dieu Vous Garde Folk Art 1800s.
Antique French glazed earthenware holy water font, or bénitier, dating to approximately the 19th century.
This charming wall-mounted devotional piece features a small projecting basin for holy water, sculpted scrollwork details, a warm ochre/yellow border and hand-painted blue lettering. The inscription appears to be an archaic rendering of “Dieu vous garde,” meaning “May God protect you” or “God keep you.”
The heavily crazed glaze, irregular handmade construction and hand-painted lettering give the piece a distinctive French folk-art French holy water font / bénitier
Glazed earthenware / faience
Hand-painted blue lettering
Inscription appears to be an archaic form of “Dieu vous garde”
Warm ochre/yellow and creamy white glaze
Small projecting holy-water basin
Integral hanging hole at top
Approximately 9” tall
Approximately 4–4.5” wide at widest point
Unmarked reverse
Likely French
Estimated 19th century / condition with substantial overall glaze crazing, discoloration, surface wear, small chips/glaze losses and other irregularities consistent with age. Wear and losses are also visible on the reverse. Please examine all photographs carefully as they are an important part of the condition description.
