Found at a countryside market outside of Paris, we are smitten with the rustic French charms of this Antique French Jam Pot. Beautifully stencil-decorated with colorful flowers on the thick ceramic body, the jam pot is lettered with "Confitures d'Auvergne" and the name of the company, "Chocolat de Royat", along with the name of the company's owner, Mr. Auguste Rouzaud.

Topped with a thick cork lid, the jam pot captures the authentic artisanal spirit of the Auvergne region and is an early memento from what would eventually become a renowned 19th-century gourmet brand. Full of French Country charms, it will be a delightful addition to your kitchen.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition. 3"H x 4"D.

Learn More About Chocolat de Royat

In 1892, a young entrepreneurial couple from the town of Royat, in the Auvergne region of central France, bought a tiny local factory, the “Chocolaterie of Royat”.

Mr. and Mrs. Rouzaud had the aim of producing good quality chocolates, jams and other gourmet specialties which would convey a positive image of their region.

Despite the good quality of their products, the couple struggled to sell them in the beginning, but were not discouraged. Mr. Rouzaud even had the groundbreaking marketing idea of publishing a nicely designed catalogue which he handed out to all the local grocers in the surrounding area.

The brand that began its life as "Chocolat de Royat" would eventually become the "Marquise de Sévigné" brand and finally put the company on the map. The year was 1898 and Madame Rouzaud opened a summer shop in the chic Auvergne spa town of Vichy. While watching a performance of "Cyrano de Bergerac" at the local theatre, Madame Rouzaud wanted to show her admiration for the play's author Edmond Rostand who was staying in Vichy during the run of his new play. Rostand was staying at the elegant and exclusive Hotel Sévigné - a hotel which took its name from the Marquise de Sévigné, a 17th century aristocratic French woman whose letters to her daughter would captivate the French nation (and eventually the world). Charmed by the noble name of the hotel, she said “that’s a name that would sound good for sweets!” From a clever blend of literature and confectionary arose a brand that would finally bring great success to that young couple with a dream.

The Marquise de Sévigné became the inspiration for the resourceful chocolate makers and the muse of what would become a brand known for luxury and good taste.

At the beginning of the 1900s, the Marquise de Sévigné brand was established in big towns – where it quickly became fashionable – but also in chic French holiday resorts. By 1906, 11 shops were opened in different regions of France including 2 in Paris. Today there is still one shop in Paris near the Place Madelaine where they offer their range of decadent chocolates and other gourmet sweets.

Learn More About the Marquise de Sévigné

Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de Sévigné, also widely known as Madame de Sévigné or Mme de Sévigné, was a French aristocrat, born in 1626 and remembered for her letter-writing. Most of her letters, celebrated for their wit and vividness, were addressed to her daughter, Françoise-Marguerite de Sévigné.

She died in 1696 having written more than 1,300 letters and is revered in France today as one of the great icons of French 17th-century literature.