Ceramic Vide-Poche / Ashtray by Mithé Espelt, France, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Mithé Espelt (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 1.58 in (4 cm)Width: 5.52 in (14 cm)Depth: 3.94 in (10 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:Ceramic,Enameled
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Paris, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU948147835832
Mithé Espelt
Marie-Thérèse Espelt, known better as Mithé Espelt, was a dominant force in mid-20th-century ceramics in France. Mithé is remembered for her modern ceramic wall mirrors, gilded and enameled ashtrays and other ornate objects and boxes, often featuring birds and lively colors. She preferred not to sign her pieces and, as a consequence, much of her work has been misattributed, including to French ceramist François Lembo.
Mithé grew up in the Camargue region of France. Her father’s extensive network included 1904 Nobel Prize winner Frédéric Mistral and Parisian painter and decorator Jean Hugo. Mithé’s early introduction to a community of artists inspired her to study sculpture and drawing at the Beaux-Arts School in Montpellier in 1939.
Mithé’s early work caught the attention of French ceramist Emilie Decanis and jewelry distributor Charles Démery. Mithé set up a ceramics workshop in the Hôtel de Bernis in Lunel, where she quickly garnered a reputation for her ceramic work and accessories, including mirrors, jewelry boxes and buttons. Démery founded the Souleiado boutique, which began distributing Mithé’s work, thus attracting a worldwide audience.
French author Antoine Candau wrote a retrospective book on Mithé’s career titled Mithé Espelt, the Discreet Luxury of the Every Day, which contributed to bringing her legacy to the forefront while shedding light on her anonymity. While Mithé was respected within her inner circle, the general public is only now beginning to understand the immense talent behind her over five-decade-long career.
Find Mithé Espelt mirrors, decorative objects, wall decorations and more for sale on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Paris, France
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1950s French Decorative Bowls
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s French Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Ceramic
Vintage 1950s French Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s French Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s Ashtrays
Ceramic
Vintage 1950s French Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Ceramic
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Ashtrays
Lava
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-P...
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
Ceramic
