Marie-Thérèse Espelt, known better as Mithé Espelt, was a dominant force in mid-20th-century ceramics in France. Mithé is remembered for her modern ceramic wall mirrors, gilded and enameled ashtrays and other ornate objects and boxes, often featuring birds and lively colors. She preferred not to sign her pieces and, as a consequence, much of her work has been misattributed, including to French ceramist François Lembo.
Mithé grew up in the Camargue region of France. Her father’s extensive network included 1904 Nobel Prize winner Frédéric Mistral and Parisian painter and decorator Jean Hugo. Mithé’s early introduction to a community of artists inspired her to study sculpture and drawing at the Beaux-Arts School in Montpellier in 1939.
Mithé’s early work caught the attention of French ceramist Emilie Decanis and jewelry distributor Charles Démery. Mithé set up a ceramics workshop in the Hôtel de Bernis in Lunel, where she quickly garnered a reputation for her ceramic work and accessories, including mirrors, jewelry boxes and buttons. Démery founded the Souleiado boutique, which began distributing Mithé’s work, thus attracting a worldwide audience.
French author Antoine Candau wrote a retrospective book on Mithé’s career titled Mithé Espelt, the Discreet Luxury of the Every Day, which contributed to bringing her legacy to the forefront while shedding light on her anonymity. While Mithé was respected within her inner circle, the general public is only now beginning to understand the immense talent behind her over five-decade-long career.
Find Mithé Espelt mirrors, decorative objects, wall decorations and more for sale on 1stDibs.
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Decorative French Vintage Ceramic Thermometer and Casing by Mithé Espelt
By Mithé Espelt
Located in London, GB
Decorative, French vintage ceramic thermometer and casing by Mithé Espect (circa 1960s). A delightful piece with stylised bird and flower blossoms....
Ceramic
MITHE ESPELT, Unique sculpted ceramic panel, bird & sun decor, France c. 1960s
By Mithé Espelt
Located in leucate, FR
Unique and large sculpted ceramic wall plaque made by the French ceramic artist Mithé Espelt (1923 - 2000). Matte black background, enameled decor with rooster and sun in turquoise,...
Ceramic
Mithe Espelt Ceramic Wall Mounted Keys Holder
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Surprising object by Mithe Espelt, this wall mounted key holder in ceramic with brass hooks. Enameled bird and plants decors.
Ceramic
Small Thermometer in Ceramic By Mithe Espelt with Bird decor
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Charming ceramic wall thermometer by Mithé Espelt, adorned with floral designs and a prominent bird, all showcased in various shades of blue glaze. A small decorative thermometer ma...
Ceramic
Mithé Espelt Square Ceramic Box
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Decorative square box by Mithé Espelt, stained wood box covered with a ceramic lid showing a single white and blue flower framed with gold glaze....
Ceramic
Vintage Silver Thermometer, Italy, Early 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
This vintage silver thermometer is a precious decorative object realized in the 1910s. Silver frame with weather thermometer. Frame with floral decorations. On the back footres...
Silver
$5,500 / item
H 5 in W 48 in D 3 in
Brass Coat Rack Wall Mount Custom Hand Made Sliding Hooks Bronze Patina
Located in East Hampton, NY
Custom site specific sizes available (length and quantity of hooks) Stainless steel, brass, bronze, aluminum Hand applied patina finishes Hooks slide along a 1" diameter rod.
Brass, Stainless Steel
Noomi Backhausen Ceramic Wall Mural Bird by Soholm Denmark, 1960s
By Noomi Backhausen, Soholm Pottery
Located in Berlin, DE
Rare Noomi Backhausen Bird Mural by Soholm in very good condition. Denmar 1960s.
Ceramic
Mithé Espelt Ceramic Jewelry Box, Mid-Century Modern, France, 1950s
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
Mid-Century Ceramic Jewelry Box by Mithé Espelt — Lunel, France, 1950s. A stunning mid-century ceramic jewelry box crafted by renowned French artist Mithé Espelt in Lunel, France, d...
Ceramic, Wood
Ceramic Jewelry Box by Mithé Espelt, France, 1960s
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Paris, FR
Ceramic jewelry box by Mithé Espelt, France, 1960s Stamped clay, enamels in shades of green, gold, blackened wood box Date of creation: around 1955-1960 Bibliography: " Mithé Espelt,...
Ceramic
$125 / item
H 34 in W 5.5 in D 2.5 in
Large Yellow Powder-Coated Industrial Wrenches, various sizes to choose from
By Trimo
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Set of four large sunshine yellow powder-coated industrial wrenches. Please note there are 4 sizes to choose from and each are sold individually.
Metal
$2,645
H 2.37 in W 3.55 in D 3.55 in
Mithé Espelt Glazed Ceramic and Wood Box with Stylized Floral Motif
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Elegant decorative box designed by Mithé Espelt, France, circa 1960s. The piece features a hand-glazed ceramic lid resting on a simple stained wood base, exemplifying Espelt’s distin...
Ceramic, Wood
$4,800 / set
H 11.5 in W 14 in D 8.5 in
Pair Gilded Brackets Decorative Wall Mount Decoration Shelves Antique LA CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Pair Gilded Brackets Decorative Wall Mount Decoration Shelves Antique LA CA . Finely carved Demilune and water gilt Pair of wall brackets Scrolled foli...
Other
$180
H 5.63 in W 8.75 in D 4.5 in
Gilded Tole Wall Mount Console Bracket Hollywood Regency Style Vintage German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful petite gilded tole wall shelf Hollywood Regency style, vintage, Germany, 1930s. Nice addition to any room or hall entry.
Composition
$6,267
H 24.02 in W 59.65 in D 1.58 in
Exceptional Ceramic Wall Panel by the Cloutier Brothers, circa 1960
By Robert and Jean Cloutier
Located in Santa Gertrudis, Baleares
Rare wall panel of the Cloutier Brothers, made of 5 lava plates enamelled with Cloutier red and black, this abstract representation which can make yo...
Lava
Walter Bosse Cat Figurine with Thermometer, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Wien, AT
Walter Bosse cat figurine with thermometer, 1950s Austrian desk thermometer, cat figurine and a lantern-shaped thermometer. Designed by Walter Bosse...
Brass
Mithe Espelt Glazed Ceramic Wall Mounted Keys Holder
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Surprising object by Mithe Espelt, this wall mounted key holder in dark red glazed ceramic with brass hooks, with decors of a bird and flowers. ...
Ceramic
Sold
H 12.5 in W 9.25 in D 0.75 in
Mithé Espelt French Gold Ceramic and Fused Blue Glass Rectangular Mirror
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Chicago, IL
A mirror created by Mithé Espelt, circa 1960, in France. The mirror is composed of tiled fused glass within a gold crackle glazed ceramic frame. Very fine original condition. A si...
Ceramic, Mirror
Oval Ceramic Wall Mirror by Mithé Espelt
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Paris, Ile-de-France
Oval mirror Crackled gold ceramic frame with turquoise cabochons 'circa 1970s' Original green felt at the back, in good condition. Mithé Espelt (born 1923) Lunel, south ...
Ceramic
Sold
H 12.75 in W 9.25 in D 0.75 in
Mithé Espelt French Gold Ceramic and Fused Cream White Glass Rectangular Mirror
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Chicago, IL
A mirror created by Mithé Espelt, circa 1960, in France. The mirror is composed of tiled fused glass within a gold crackle glazed ceramic frame. Very fine original condition. A sim...
Ceramic, Mirror
Sold
H 13 in W 11 in D 1 in
Mithé Espelt French Ceramic Gold Crackle Glazed and White Crystalline Mirror
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Chicago, IL
A stunning mirror created by Mithé Espelt, circa 1960, in France. The mirror is composed of pieces of gold crackle glazed ceramic and with a crystalline fused glass inserts.
Ceramic
Sold
H 12.41 in W 8 in D 0.6 in
Decorative Ceramic Wall Mirror with Stylized Birds, Mithé Espelt, circa 1970s
By Mithé Espelt
Located in London, GB
Ceramic wall mirror with purple and mauve glaze and stylized birds (circa 1970s) by Mithé Espelt. A delightful decorative wall mirror topped with a pair of whimsical birds above the ...
Mirror, Ceramic
Mithé Espelt Mirror
By Mithé Espelt
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite work of art created by French designer Mithé Espelt. The ceramic frame features a crackled gold glaze, surrounding square ceramic tiles in va...
Ceramic
Mirror by Mithé Espelt
By Mithé Espelt
Located in New York, NY
A lovely small, round mirror created by Mithé Espelt in France, circa 1960. The frame is decorated in a gold metallic glaze and the design in a shiny enam...
Jeweled Mirror by Mithé Espelt
By Mithé Espelt
Located in New York, NY
A small, but stunning mirror created by Mithé Espelt, circa 1960, in France. The mirror is composed of pieces of stone within a gold crackle glazed ceramic frame. The border of the f...