I want to introduce some very interesting vintage French enamelware I recently found. I adore these antique kitchen items, which, with their beauty and the precision of their craftsmanship, testify to the level of aesthetic refinement achieved in the production of this type of objects, even if they are humble items used in daily domestic life.

I have decided to showcase a series of French enamelware pieces in shades of blue. As a backdrop, I have used a 1950s cotton fabric with wide blue and white stripes, against which cheerful wildflower bouquets in yellow, white, violet, and green stand out. This fabric is ideal for making curtains in a beautiful country chic kitchen. As a complement, I have added a fresh French tablecloth with white and yellow checks from the 1930s, embroidered with a monogram.

 French enamel coffee pot

Upon this base, I place a beautiful early 1900s French enamelware coffee pot in hand-painted light blue with little flowers. In front of this, I choose three lovely French café au lait bowls from my collection, the famous and highly collectible ones, in vibrant shades of green. One has green polka dots, another features Art Deco-style stylized flowers, and the third showcases a grass-like pattern.

Just arrived

Next to them, there’s a delightful French picnic basket for a little girl, adorned with hand-painted flowers. On the other side, a beautiful plate with vibrant, summery colors decorated with airbrushed pears, in front of which I place another charming white and yellow checkered café au lait bowl. To finish off, I position a lovely hand-embroidered tea napkin with delicate blue checkered patterns and a motif of a basket of roses tied with a ribbon, perfect to match with a delightful small border strip for a shelf, finished in blue and decorated with delicately embroidered handcrafted fruits…

A French enamelware salt box and mold

I continue the decoration with a beautiful light blue enamelware cake mold, also of French origin, adding two more café au lait bowls in shades of yellow. There’s also an English pitcher with floral decoration. And finally, the pièce de résistance…

Another French enamelware salt box.

A stunning and rare French salt box from the early 1900s, with light blue enamel and hand-painted flowers in vivid and brilliant colors. The box is painted using the technique of thick enamel, where the decoration is applied with dense brushstrokes that create depth. The word ‘Sel’ (salt) is in black with gothic letters. Salt boxes of this type are rare, and this one is in excellent condition!

French enamel pitcher

Here’s another delightful example of old French enamelware, a small light blue pitcher with hand-painted decoration in thick enamel featuring pansies and a tiny painter’s palette with a miniature lakeside landscape. This pitcher is also a rare and finely crafted item, with splendid colors including shades of pink, yellow, green, and very light blue, highlighted with gold accents. The decoration stands out magnificently against the celestial background! I decide to photograph it next to a delicate opaline glass hen-shaped box in a very pale shade of pink. In the background, there’s a vintage American fabric from the 1940s-1950s with flowers on a dusty blue background and white stripes.

French enamelware pansy salt box

Lastly, here are the other pieces of French enamelware I want to showcase. A splendid salt or flour box (unmarked) signed by the prestigious Japy manufacturer. It’s quite unique with its color gradient from light red to white, and it features a magnificent hand-painted pansy motif in the center, executed with a delicate touch. The lid is made of wood. Next to it, I place more beautiful French café au lait bowls in ceramic. And then, a small tin box for matches, ‘allumettes,’ with white and green checkered patterns in the famous Lustucru design.

French enamelware tray and coffee pot

In the background, there’s a 1950s checkered Lustucru fabric placemat in mustard and white. Then, there’s a beautiful vintage French fabric with a lively wildflower pattern on a light background, on which I place a stunning enamelware bread tray, also from the Japy manufacturer. Here, too, we have the color gradient from light red to white, and a hand-painted thick enamel motif featuring pansies and little birds. In the center, there’s a charming vintage ceramic pitcher with green polka dots, and on the side, a lovely hand-painted coffee pot with a filter adorned with little roses, also fading from red to white!