“Cornet” ceramic wall Applique by Marcel Guillot

1950s ceramic wall sconce by French ceramicist Marcel Guillot. Original bayonet fitting, stamped indistinctly to the reverse.

Since the age of 14, Marcel Guillot was exposed to ceramics at the School of Arts Applied to Industry in Paris. He attended the school for four years until graduation.

For a time he worked at the Manufacture de Sèvres performing repetitive precision work in the the mould repair department. Having more creative ambitions he left Sèvres to open his own workshop in Paris and equipped himself with an electric oven, a rare asset at the time.

He collaborated commercially with La Porcelaine de Paris (Vivinis and Lobjoy).

Then he set up a second workshop in La Varenne Saint-Hilaire.

He campaigned for his profession in the Chamber of Trade Unions and in 1949, he was tasked with Pol Chambost to organise the first (commercial) Salon des ceramists d’art de France. The Salon presented 59 exhibitors from September 19 to 26, 1949. The Salon continued to grow over the years. From 1953, he had the opportunity to see a setting by Matégot and the works of Lacaf, Fouquet, Mallet, Jouve… and in 1954: Gatard, Deblander, Blin, Pierlot, Baud, Capron, Innocenti, Picault & le Grand Chene

The show eventually became “le Salon des Ateliers d’Art de France” at the Porte de Versailles and eventually the “Maison et Objet” exhibition.

Marcel Guillot later became president (from 1962 to 1971) of the salons, he also participated in major exhibitions such as one in Brussels in 1958 and ‘le Nationale de Beaux-Arts” in 1960

His works are signed most often handwritten “Guillot” or “Guillot Saint-Maur” but also as in this case with the rectangular stamp “Guillot France”.

His work had much success in commercial outlets in particular the USA and was widely distributed by decorators and department stores and in particular by Printemps with Primavera directed by Colette Gueden.

Included in the photographs is a reproduction of Marcel Guillot’s booth at the Salon commercial et professional des Ateliers d’Art 1956 – similar appliqués “Cornet” can be seen displayed on the walls.