A few kilometres from Accolay.
Pieces, but also a photograph found in an album, an old film, a story passed down through a family. These are all things I hope to bring together.
Object + memoryMy collection is about more than bringing ceramics together. I want to document the shapes, decoration, marks and techniques, as well as life in the workshops and shops and the people involved in this production. A family photograph, an old film, an annotated catalogue or a precise memory can be just as valuable as a rare piece.
If you have a piece of Accolay pottery, archives or a recollection, however fragmentary, I would be happy to talk with you. Information can remain confidential on request.
In 1945, four former students of Alexandre Kostanda settled in the village of Accolay. The venture lasted until 1989 and, at its peak, employed up to sixty people.
Over more than forty years, Accolay’s production changed considerably. Shapes, decoration, glazes and artistic influences evolved, while the care and quality of execution varied between periods and pieces. This diversity is what makes the whole so rich and explains why Accolay cannot be reduced to a single style.
The shops along the holiday routes did the rest. Many pieces entered family homes on the way back from a trip.
There are many Accolay marks, with numerous variations.
Many marks can help identify an Accolay piece: a double A, a bull’s head, a shield, an “Accolay France” stamp or a hand-incised name. Each carries information. The clay, glaze, shape and decoration then help complete the assessment.
01
In the workshop
Accolay is not the signature of a single hand. The workshop was a collective place, shaped by potters, decorators and artists. Raphaël Giarrusso and Georges Pelletier each brought a recognisable visual language. I also look for documents that help establish what can actually be attributed to them.
02
A story of roads
The first sales exhibition opened at the former lime kilns, Les Fours à Chaux, between Accolay and Vermenton. Arcy-sur-Cure, Vermenton and Appoigny on the RN6 followed, then Pouilly-sur-Loire on the RN7 and Fixin on the road to Dijon. I am looking for photographs, postcards, tickets and memories of these places, which have since disappeared.
I bring together pieces and period documents.
Decorated ceramics, unusual shapes, jugs, trinket dishes, lamps, masks, figures, animals and creations beyond the most common production.
Photographs, films, catalogues, advertisements, correspondence, articles, plans, labels and recollections.
Tell me what you have found, even if the information is incomplete. I read and reply to every message myself.
For a video or a large file, simply include a sharing link in your message. No document received is published without permission.
