Monday 21 September 2009

A collection of fèves for Three or more Tuesday.




It's Three or more Tuesday over at Tam's The Gypsy's Corner, a great show & tell party that's a treat for the eyes.
So, today I'm showing off my collection of fèves.

Followers of my blog may have gathered by now that I collect the French pottery known as Quimper faience. Yes, really!
You probably also know that the 10th Annual meeting of the QCI will be taking place next month in Dallas.


Click here to go to the QCI Blog to read all about the fun in store.
I have attended the past 9 meetings, starting with Washington in 2000, up until Philadelphia last year. I even co hosted the 2007 meeting here in France and will be co hosting again next year in Savannah, Georgia.
The meetings are always great fun and a wonderful way of connecting with fellow collectors and meeting up with friends discovered through our shared love of Quimper.



The Grand Finale of these events is always the Farewell Dinner and in recent years each guest has received a small party favour of fèves (epiphany trinkets) as they take their places at table.
In France “La galette des Rois” ("the king's cake") celebrates the Epiphany and is traditionally sold and consumed a few days before and after January 6 (although today in France, it is available in bakeries for the entire month of January). The cake consists of flaky puff pastry layers with a dense center of frangipane, raspberry, apple, and other flavors, as the baker is inspired.



In times gone by, a dried bean was hidden in the cake, and the person who found it was king for the day. The French word for bean is "fève"; however, although beans were replaced in 1870 by small figures in porcelain and, more recently, plastic, these trinkets are still called “fèves.”

The "fèves" are generally produced in theme series, with every possible theme imaginable, including Disney figures, regional motifs, ceramics, antiques, every aspect of modern life, etc. They have become very popular collectibles and can often be bought separately. Any series is generally produced for one year only.

For several years the fèves presented at the Q Club dinner were tiny figurines of Breton people.
In 2008 our gift was a tiny plate decorated with a traditional Quimper motif.

Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of figurines and I was so enchanted by the little plate last year that I purchased the complete set.



The series of Quimper plates was produced for Epiphany 2008. It consists of ten pieces, each a miniature reproduction of a real Quimper plate, either Henriot or HB. Many "fèves" are titled, and these are marked "Les Assiettes de Quimper" (The Plates of Quimper) on the reverse side.




I believe that stocks are limited but if you would also like to add a set of plates or figurines to your Q collection click here



à bien tôt
Maggie

17 comments:

  1. I am totally not into Quimper porcelain but what an interesting story you tell about the fèves. I like to read story's like that. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. Hi Maggie..

    I have only a brief knowlege about Quimper and it was aquired from reading your and Sarah's blogs. How great it is that you collect the things that you love, get to attend all those wonderful events, and even had the privilege to host some of them. Reading about your life truly amazes me!

    Thanks for all that history!!

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  3. What a beautiful collection you have there Maggie. I am going to try to find some quimper on ebay because I find it beautiful.
    Have a nice day
    Riet

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  4. Love the feves. I've always admired Quimper but don't have any. But the feves mke great collectible. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Maggie, I learn something new everytime I visit your blog! I have a good friend who LOVES anything to do with France and I remember having a Kings Cake on some occasion at her house...now I know the background as to why! Thanks for the very informative post....and I love your mosaics!

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  6. Morning~ ~Had to stop over and see what you have been up to. Very nice collections. Do you display them all or do some have to stay packed away in boxes. Looks like you have quite a collection?
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  7. What an absolutely interesting post. I have known only one other person who collects Quimper and this is a post she will really love.

    Thanks, Maggie!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  8. Hi Maggie,

    Love the feves and have a collection myself. Most interesting post.

    I always look forward to yours and Sarah's blogs.

    Have a great day!
    A Bientot,
    Doris

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  9. Thank you for your visit to my Three or More post and for the anniversary wishes. I didn't know the 30th is known as the Pearl Anniversary. So I learned something new today. Oh, plus I learned about the Quimper collection. I had never seen that either! So lovely. Interesting that you go to conventions all over the place for that. Cool!

    Have a great day!

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  10. Maggie, Thank you so much for coming by, and for your warm welcome to me as guest host for Tam.
    I hope she is getting some rest, and i am having a great time sitting in for her.
    You miniature plates are fascinating!
    Did i just miss what size they are??

    Blessings on your day.

    barbara jean

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  11. I have enjoyed reading these posts and learning something completely new to me. I found it fun and educational. The cakes sound like a variation of the king cakes served around mardi gras in New Orleans. A small baby replica is hidden iside the traditionally gold, green, and purple cake.

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  12. I always learn so much from visiting your blog. I'm not into Quimper but I enjoy learning more about it. The little figurines and plates are fabulous.

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  13. I love your blogs -- I always learn so much! Thank you for the information about feves ... and as for that cake, whoa baby! that sounds good.
    Cass

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  14. Maggie, how did I miss this one? It is wonderful. I have a small group of the feves. I need to get the complete set of the plates that Judy had produced last year. There's always one more thing, isn't there? Enjoyed reading the text about the feves. Do you know there is a street market in Paris where vendors sell feves? It is much like the stamp market held there. Are you counting the days till your anniversary trip? ~ Sarah

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  15. Thank you for giving us the history of the Quimper "feves" - I thought with a name like feves there must be a story around them. I purchased a set last year from Brittany Byways and am so happy with them - I collect Quimper in a very small way. Wil;l check out the blog for the Quimper Society - enjoy your conference in Dallas!!
    Enjoying your blog - I love pictures of Normandy and Brittany.
    Thanks again.
    Janet

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  16. I've never seen these before! I love the detail in those teeny teeny plates!

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  17. Is your blog still active? I collect quimper as well as the feves!

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Thanks for stopping by, your visit just made my day!