Antique French Copper Turbotiere Fish Poacher, 18th Century

This heavy tin-lined French copper fish poacher, known as a turbotiere, dates to circa 1850 and was produced by the well-known factory for kitchen equipment, Maison Gaillard Paris. The turbot is a flatfish found in the Atlantic Ocean and this diamond-shaped poacher was designed to accommodate the shape of the fish, hence the name turbotiere. There is a production mark beneath the rolled rim which reads “Gaillard Maison”. A second production mark (“70”) can be seen beneath one of the large looping handles that are affixed by brass mounts with three rivets. The rivets combined with the dovetail seam on the bottom of the poacher attest to the age of production, as these were methods to assemble copper pieces prior to the late-19th century. Copper serving pieces are always in high demand, making our turbotiere poacher from Gaillard Paris a must have for a kitchen decorative...

A beautiful example of a period Louis XVI chaudron, or cauldron, the copper has been decorated with a metalworking technique known as repousse, where low relief motifs are hammered from the reverse side. Many motifs from Louis XVI were inspired by ancient civilizations (Egypt, Rome, Greece, etc.), such as the mascarons and cartouches seen on the sides of this chaudron. There are two distinct mythological scenes on opposite sides, set in between a pair of twisted loop handles emanating from the mouth of a heavily bearded mascaron with a tied bow in his hair. One image depicts Pegasus rearing up as a man with a sword...

Hand-crafted in France, this large copper and wrought iron chaudron would have originally been used in the 1700’s to cook meals over a fire. The iron handle would have been placed onto a cremaillere, or chimney hook...

This French copper bassinoire, or bed warmer, has a wooden handle and was produced in the 1700’s. Hot coals would be placed into a bassinoire’s vented receptacle, and the user would pass the device under the covers, warming the bed. Copper was the preferred metal, as it is an excellent heat conductor. The handle was almost always wooden, allowing the bassinoire to be held safely. A wood handle (approximately 26 inches in length) has been nailed into the end of a copper vessel. The container opens via a flip top that has a beaded edge and a rolled lip. The middle portion of the lid is raised and embellished with a floral wreath and lobed protuberances. The center of the wreath has a scaled mythical creature with a long, tasseled tail and curved beak. The areas between the protrusions are adorned with floral and foliate engravings as well as birds. The top is pierced with sporadically placed vent holes. European winters could be particularly brutal. Bassinoires were essential tools for keeping warm at night. Today, bassinoires are used mainly as decorative elements. Our 18th century French copper...

Known as a rafraichissoir, this beautifully polished copper vessel has been hammered using both repousse and chasing metalworking techniques. Beneath the ...

Antique copper cookware, such as this polished chaudron with wrought iron handle are highly sought-after decorative pieces due to their unique color and (typically) bright patina. handcrafted in France, circa 1850, our chaudron has a shaped wrought iron handle that rests on a thick rolled rim when not in the upright position. The handle is affixed to the cauldron by a pair of horseshoe shaped mounts, each with two rivets. When the chaudron was used for cooking, the handle would be raised and fitted onto a cremaillere (chimney hook...

A charming 18th century Tortiere from the Southwest of France. This handsome piece is crafted from heavy gauge copper raised on feet with its lid. Tortieres were used to prepare an...

A very handsome mid-18th century Copper Pan from the Provence region of France. Beautifully crafted from heavy gauge copper with brass handles.

A wonderful 18th century copper Frituese - Leche Frite from the Southwest of France. Beautifully crafted from copper with its iron handle and footrest and lovely decorative engravin...

A wonderful 18th century copper pressure cooker from the Southwest of France. A great addition to any copperware collection.

An 18th century French copper confectioner's pot with wonderfully forged handles, a thick rolled rim, and a circular patch at the bottom with the most elaborate hand-hammered rivets...

A wonderful 18th century copper pressure cooker from the Southwest of France. A great addition to any copperware collection.