Dijon. That picturesque city in the Burgundy region of eastern France can safely be called the mustard capital of the world. The city has been a center of mustard-making since the 14th century when the wealthy Dukes of Burgundy first created the recipe. The Dijon recipe was perfected in the 18th and 19th centuries and has remained relatively unchanged since then.

Mustard has been the supreme condiment in France throughout the ages and even today the country has the third highest per capita mustard consumption in the world. In any classic French bistro, a mustard pot is often on the table along with salt and pepper as the standard condiments and seasonings that accompany any meal. During the height of bistro culture in the early 20th-century, the most well-appointed restaurants would have been equipped with a mustard dispenser. A decorative container to hold mustard and fill all the smaller pots that would be brought to the table. Mustard dispensers were never mass-produced and to say they are rare is an understatement. In all the years of scouring the French markets, we've seen exactly two: one in a mustard museum in Dijon and this one. 

Found at market in the south of France, we are thrilled to present an absolutely magnificent Vintage French Mustard Dispenser.  Produced in the 1930s by the famed Sarreguemines and Digoin potters, this incredible dispenser would have had pride of place in any French bistro, proudly dispensing Moutarde de Dijon to happy diners. With its faceted Art Deco shape embellished with pretty hand-painted red stripes, the dispenser has a bakelite spout and a metal dispensing handle with a red wooden knob. 

As beautiful as it is rare, this very special museum-quality dispenser is sure to be a stunning centerpiece in your kitchen.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. 15.25" tall x 10.5" in diameter. Spout extends 4". In very good vintage condition with an old chip on the underside of the dispenser as shown in the alternate images. The chip is not visible when the dispenser is standing upright.

Learn More About Sarreguemines & Digoin

Sarreguemines is the name of a small village near the German border in the Lorraine region of northeast France. It was in that village on the Saar River, that a family-owned pottery business was begun in 1790 that would eventually develop a reputation around the world for beautifully crafted, colorful ceramics.

This reputation, of course reached Paris and Napoleon I became one of Sarreguemines customers. In fact, most of the original decorative tiles used in the construction of the Paris metro stations were produced in the factories of Sarreguemines. In 1876 after the Franco Prussian War, a new plant was opened in the town of Digoin in the Loire Valley region of France. 

The potters of Sarreguemines brought the small city to the top of the earthenware industry, and from the 19th century Sarreguemines provided the whole world with a vast collection of earthenware, vases, decorative flower pots, wall frescos, chimneys, and so on.

The faience factories of Sarreguemines no longer exist, but the heritage of their quality craftsmanship and artistry lives on in beautiful pieces such as this wonderful mustard pot.