Eye-Catching Mid-Century Vallauris Swan Cachepot Signed Alain Maunier - 10¾"

Graceful and sculptural, this mid-20th-century swan-form ceramic jardiniere is signed by Alain Maunier and comes from Vallauris, the renowned pottery town in the south of France. Finished in a vivid variegated blue that shifts from cerulean to deep cobalt, the arched neck forms a natural handle above a deep oval well, while textured feathers and upturned wings add relief and movement. Vallauris, celebrated for centuries for its ceramics, was revitalized in the late 19th and early 20th century by the famous Massier family workshops, whose iridescent glazes and imaginative forms inspired later makers.

Alain Maunier, active in Vallauris during the postwar decades, carried forward this tradition with expressive decorative pieces that paired functional design with bold color. Likely slip-cast and finished with a tinted transparent glaze that accentuates the plumage, this cachepot or centerpiece remains in very good condition, with minor glaze irregularities and light wear to the base consistent with age.

Eye-catching and versatile, this piece displays beautifully as a standalone sculpture on a console, mantel, or bookshelf, where it brings a confident note of color and form. Used as a cachepot, it suits ferns, orchids, or simple greenery, and it also works as a low arrangement for seasonal blooms on a dining table. It can just as easily serve as a centerpiece to present fruit or sweets, making it both decorative and practical. The lively blue glaze pairs well with neutral linens, stone, and rattan, and it can be grouped with other mid-century ceramics to anchor a vignette in a living room or entry.