Marius Bessone Ceramic Owl Table Lamp
Materials: Round grey glazed base & owl lampshade. The bird has round holes in the back. 2 E14 sockets.
Height: 48 cm / 18.89”
Width: 31 cm / 12.20”
Depth: 28 cm / 11.02”
Electricity: 2 bulbs E14, 2 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. For this setup silver tipped light bulbs were used.
Period: 1950s, 1960s.
Designer: Marius Bessone.
Manufacturer: Marius Bessone, Vallauris, France.
Other versions: this Marius Bessone ceramic owl table lamp was in all probability made in several copies. Of course, no two are the same, they are all handmade.
Marius Bessone
Marius Bessone, born in 1929, studied ceramics and industrial technique for architecture between 1949 and 1954.
In 1954, he opened a workshop in Vallauris, France, with his wife Huguette. Huguette, was for a long time decorator at the Bessone studio, before producing her own ceramic art.
Marius Bessone participated in almost all expositions in his hometown Vallauris and many other exhibitions in France and Europe.
Vallauris
Vallauris, in the Alpes Maritimes, has been and remains the most important production centre of this region. They make ceramics for more than 2000 years. In Monaco only since 1874. After the second world war the ceramics became famous worldwide.
In 1946 Pablo Picasso visited the city and became a potter. From that moment on, Vallauris will be the meeting place of the artistic aristocracy. Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy, Marc Chagall. Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Jean Lurçat. Édouard Pignon, Tsuguharu Foujita. Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, André Masson. Victor Brauner, all of whom, like the Master, will try their hand at ceramics.
This intellectual abundance attracts young people eager for adventure. They were named: Michel Anasse, Dominique Baudart, Marius Bessone. Frederique Bourguet, Roger Collet, Francine Delpierre. Jean Derval, Albert Diatto, Isabelle Ferlay. Marcel Giraud, Odette Gourju, Jacques Innocenti, Irène Kostanda. Alexandre Kostanda (her son), Jean-Claude Malarmey, Marius Musarra, Lubina Naumowitch. Robert Pérot, Gilbert Portanier, Placide Saltalamacchia “AEgitna”. Max Siffredi (known as Mabyjo’s), Piot Thiry, Albert Thiry. Gilbert Valentin, Lilette, Valdemar Volkoff and many others.
In 1960, there were about 150 workshops or factories in Vallauris. Three times more than in 1920. In 1970, there were more than 200.
Vintageinfo – Famous kitsch lamps from Vallauris & Monaco
Many thanks to Frank from Flowermountain.be for the photos and the enthusiasm.