Vintage 1970s French Grès de l’Arnon Butter Keeper – Beurre Stoneware Butter Dish

A lovely piece of traditional French kitchenware with a distinctly 1970s character, this stoneware butter keeper was made in France by Grès de l’Arnon.

Finished in a warm grey, lightly speckled glaze, the pot is decorated on the front with the word “Beurre” – French for butter – above a wonderfully earthy brown botanical motif.

The two-piece design consists of a deep outer pot together with a removable upper section. Rather than simply being another covered butter dish, this style belongs to the French tradition of keeping butter at the table or on the kitchen counter, ready to use rather than refrigerated until hard.

Turn the pot over and you'll find the Grès de l’Arnon – France maker's mark on the base, dating this charming piece of French pottery to the 1970s.

It's exactly the sort of practical everyday object we love finding in France – something once made to be used rather than merely displayed, but which has now become a wonderfully decorative piece of French kitchen history.

How Do You Use a Traditional French Butter Keeper?

Traditional French butter keepers were designed to help keep butter soft and spreadable without simply leaving it exposed on a plate.

With this style of two-part butter keeper, the butter is placed into the removable inner section. and pressed in to ensure no air gaps. 

A small quantity of water is then placed in the base to help create a seal around the butter.

The sections are then fitted together so that the butter sits protected within the outer pot and it will not go off. The water should be changed every two to three days.

Item: Traditional French Butter Keeper / Butter Dish
Maker: Grès de l’Arnon
Country of Origin: France
Date: Circa 1970s
Material: Glazed stoneware / grès
Colour: Warm grey with brown decoration
Decoration: “Beurre” with stylised botanical motif
Mark: Grès de l’Arnon – France to base
Construction: Two-piece butter keeper
Height: Approx. 13.5 cm
Width: Approx. 11 cm

Why We Like It

There's something particularly appealing about old French kitchenware that was created for a very specific purpose, and this is a perfect example.

We love the chunky stoneware shape, softly speckled glaze and wonderfully 1970s brown botanical decoration.

The word Beurre immediately gives it that unmistakable French kitchen feel, while the Grès de l’Arnon maker's mark makes it much more interesting than an anonymous butter pot.

Display it alongside old French confit pots, stoneware jars, wooden boards and linen for a beautifully relaxed brocante kitchen look – or put it back to work as part of your tableware.

From the Brocante Trail™

We search the brocantes, marchés aux puces and antique fairs of France for pieces with character, history and a story to tell. The little imperfections, signs of use and traces of their former lives are exactly what make these old pieces so special.

Every treasure has a story. This one found us on the Brocante trail. Now it’s waiting to become part of yours!