French Pottery Appraisal

Antique French Ceramic Mustard Pot (Moutarde Racquet Yvetot)

The item appears to be a small, ceramic mustard pot with a lid and an integrated serving spoon or dipper. It has a rounded, squat body that tapers slightly towards the rim, indicating a classic functional design for a condiment vessel. The dominant color is a creamy white, serving as a clean background for an intricate polychrome floral and ornamental pattern that wraps around its circumference. The decoration includes stylized flowers in shades of yellow, red/orange, and green, interspersed with blue and green scrollwork or foliage. A prominent design element on the body features a dark blue, almost indigo, arched border with red and yellow accents. The lid is also white with a matching floral motif and has a circular opening to accommodate the spoon, which appears to be made of a light-colored, possibly bone or ivory-toned material, contrasting with the ceramic. The spoon has a distinctive knob-like handle for easy gripping. Visually, there are no glaring condition issues such as cracks, chips, or significant wear visible from the provided angle, suggesting it is in good to very good condition. The craftsmanship appears to be a hand-painted style, given the slight variations in the motifs, which adds to its uniqueness. Based on the accompanying text, it is identified as 'Moutarde racquet Yvetot 1735 made in france,' implying a French origin and a potential manufacturing date of 1735, which would classify it as an antique. The term 'Yvetot' likely refers to a region or pottery center known for this style. The presence of a ruler in the background suggests its size is approximately 4-5 inches in height, fitting for a tabletop condiment server.