Belgian Art Nouveau set A.M.C. Wasmuël – 4 pieces

Superb antique toilet set in fine earthenware, with a fully hand-painted decoration: stylised purple roses with yellow centres, apple-green leaves, graphic stems and blue bands, all outlined in black.

Origin: stamped "Fabrication Belge – A.M.C." underneath. A.M.C. stands for Auguste Mouzin et Cie, the famous Wasmuël (Hainaut) earthenware factory, active from 1878 to 1951. Pieces from the 1910s–1930s, in a very geometric late Art Nouveau style inspired by Mackintosh's Glasgow rose and the Vienna Secession.

The set includes:

• Large jug: 29 cm high
• Large round dish: 35 cm in diameter, 12 cm high
• Round soap dish with lid
• Oblong box with lid

A second life: once placed on the washstand, these objects easily find a place elsewhere. The jug becomes a magnificent vase for a large bouquet or a table carafe. The large dish turns into a fruit bowl, centrepiece or plant pot cover. The small lidded round piece makes a charming butter dish, and the oblong box is ideal for storing cutlery, jewellery, …

These pieces have the soul of the old: the brushstroke you can still make out, the fine crazing of the glaze, a century of history in a Belgian home. Nothing like today's tableware, and a beautiful complete set, increasingly rare.