French character - Monsieur Pipelet

I can't read the name on the plaque but I'm assuming it's a Charles Dickens character and maybe the name is s German or French version?
There seems to be a price written in pencil on the base. Maybe shillings & pence.
Not seen anything like this before so any information helpful.

hmmmm very interesting lot you got right there, naomim and i love the glaze texture... very nice

pied piper

or mibbie not

It looks like a spill/match holder. Is there a rough bit for striking?
The wording could be related to it's use, like Torquay ware

Someone said its a French grape picker, judging by the basket on his back. So French, or at least continental.

French faience, eg, Quimper maybe?

French faience doesn't tend to have that all-over glazed decoration.
Not to say it's not French though.

Cheers, Denby.

If the bottom word is Pipelet then there appears to be a French character of that name but the image of the figure doesn't match.

Monsieur Pipelet appears to have been a chatterbox!

If that last letter is I it could maybe be Italian.

denbydump wrote:It looks like a spill/match holder. Is there a rough bit for striking?
The wording could be related to it's use, like Torquay ware

I've had a good feel and the only part where matches could be struck is the ribs on the basket but it's glazed so not an efficient method. The basket is fairly thinly potted and has been broken and glued back together.

studio-pots wrote:If the bottom word is Pipelet then there appears to be a French character of that name but the image of the figure doesn't match.

Monsieur Pipelet appears to have been a chatterbox!

Yes, it says Pipelet! Thank you.
Can't read the first word, though. Doesn't seem to be Monseur.

Seems to be a character from one of Eugene Sue's novels.
Madam and Monsieur Pipelet who are concierge and wife from Les Mystères de Paris (published in Journal des débats from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843).
However Eugene also wrote The Wandering Jew, (aka Le Juif errant (10 vols., 1844–1845), which were among the most popular specimens of the serial novel.) and this figure seems to fit that story better. It's possible that, like 19thC Staffordshire pottery, this manufacturer reused moulds and changed titles to fit whatever was popular at the time.
Either way, this piece may be mid 19th Century and possibly made in France or at least made in Northern Europe for the French market.

I saw the concierge story and thought that the figure didn't fit. It then went on to say that the name then began to be used for someone who talked too much but again it didn't fit. However, it must be connected.

I think this might be the type of figurine that would come under the heading of "fairing", made for sale very cheaply by travelling stall-holders at country fairs from the mid-19th century. It seems that they mostly came from Germany, and the main producer was a firm called Conta & Boehme, but there were lots of smaller imitators.

There are quite a few collectors about, so there might be discussion/identification forums with experts who you could ask.

As for who the figure represents, I can't help. Probably the potter and the first buyer had no idea either.

Cheers

The face painting does seem right for Conta & Boehme.