Edmé Poterat Factory

This wide-rimmed, tondo-style plate, with its compendiario (‘summary’) decoration demonstrates the Italian influence on European ceramic production until the mid-17th century. Set against a white background, the motif is simply a coat of arms in blue with a silver chevron and three five-pointed gold stars, probably belonging to the Poterat family, although the chevron on theirs was not silver. The mark on the underside, faict à Rouen/1647 (made in Rouen/1647) supports this attribution as it was during this period that Edmé Poterat, Sieur de Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray (1612-1687), ran the only faience manufacture in Rouen.