Here is information about collecting French Cafe Au Lait Bowls, including their history, how to identify them and where to find them.  

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I have been collecting vintage French cafe au lait bowls for years. Today, I am sharing information on how to identify authentic cafe au lait bowls, traits to look for, how to estimate their age, and some of my favorite online sources.  These little bowls are getting more difficult to find and the prices continue to rise. I am not able to make trips to France to buy these vintage bowls, but rather rely on finding them in local antique stores, thrift stores or buying them online.  

Thrifting with the Gals

I’m excited to be taking part in the ‘Thrifting with the Gals’ series with four amazingly talented bloggers today. ‘Thrifting with the Gals’ is hosted by a group of women who love to thrift, go antiquing, share their tips, tricks, styling ideas, and great finds along the way.

If you have found your way here from Rachel at The Pond’s Farmhouse, welcome!  I love Rachel’s Farmhouse Style and creativity. Up next is Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest who is sharing 15 Ways to Get Out of a Home Decorating Rut. A challenge we can all relate to. You can check out each gal and their thrifty ideas at the bottom of this post!

Collecting Cafe Au Lait Bowls

I have always loved the colors and designs of these bowls and it’s so fun to collect them in different sizes. The bowls in my collection were made in greater Europe.  So, today, I thought I would share with you all that I know about these bowls. Using one of these bowls, once part of an antique french cafe, always adds some European flair to my day.

History

These cheerful little cafe au lait bowls were originally made so people could drink coffee, tea or hot chocolate out of them in the cafes of Paris.  The European tradition is to serve your morning coffee in a bowl as opposed to a mug with a handle.  According to this article by Martha Stewart Living, drinking hot beverages from bowls was introduced in Europe around 1644 and was based on similar bowls used in Turkish and Chinese societies.

The term “Cafe Au Lait” refers to a drink that is half coffee and half milk.  The term “cafe” is equivalent to the english word “coffee” and the word “lait” is equivalent to the english word “milk”. Over the years, these bowls have become collectible and are the perfect addition to any dishware collection.

Identifying Vintage Cafe Au Lait Bowls

The first challenge we have is accurately identifying a vintage French cafe au lait bowl.  There are a number of reproduction bowls available, so if you find a bowl, how do you know it’s authentic?  In general, I prefer and look for bowls made prior to the 1960s.  

First, true vintage bowls have a classic shape with a clearly defined “foot”.  Meaning the base of a vintage french bowl will clearly flare out at the bottom.  If a bowl is uniformly tapered all the way to the bottom, it is likely a modern production.  Note: the distinct “foot” on the bottom of the bowl shown below.

Second, authentic cafe au lait bowls are made out of a porcelain clay that is fairly thin around the edges.  If the lip of the bowl is thick or rounded, then it is likely a more modern production.  

Third, if you turn a bowl upside down, you may see a stamp on the bottom.  If it says “Digoin” or “Sarreguemines” then it is an authentic find.  Having said that, there are plenty of bowls that, while they are authentic, don’t have a stamp on the bottom. If this is the case, then you need to rely on understanding the design of the bowl, thickness of the porcelain, and patterns/colors.  Read on to learn more about the colors and patterns.

It’s also important to note, cafe au lait bowls were produced in a variety of sizes.  The largest bowl I have is about 8 inches in diameter while the smallest bowl is 2.5 inches.

Patterns and Colors

While these sweet bowls come in a whole array of patterns and colors, cafe au lait bowls produced in the early 1900s consisted of a white bowl with simple gold embellishments.

The most collectible forms of these bowls have art deco designs from the 1920s-1950s and often come in red, blue, yellow, or green.  These are generally the bowls most sought after by collectors.  The art deco shapes tend to be more geometrical.  There are also imprints of floral designs using a single color.  Both geometric and floral patterns were stenciled onto the bowls.  

Similarly, between 1940-1960s these bowls were produced in softer pastel colors such as lavender, pink, and light blue. Around this same time period, cafe au lait bowls were made with floral patterns such as small pink and green flowers or with images of children, people or animals.  

On occasion you can find these bowls in a nesting set of 2 or 3 with the same pattern.  This is more difficult to find but if you come across them, definitely snap them up!

Estimating the Age of a Bowl

Estimating the age of a bowl can be tricky.  One of the easiest ways to determine the age is by looking for a back stamp on the bottom of the bowl.  Typically, if there is a back stamp, you can be assured the bowl was made between 1920-1960.  

Common Back Stamps

Common back stamps on the bowls include:

• “Digoin, France” or
• “Sarreguemines, France” 

Back stamps with “Digoin, France” were common for bowls made between 1920-1950 in the Digoin region of France.  Bowls with the “Sarreguemines” mark, usually a shield with a crown above it, can indicate a piece was made between 1900 -1920.  The website, Old Stuff.com has a good article and summary of French back stamps. The website Info Fiance also has a great catalog of French back stamps and lists a piece’s estimated age.

Other Notes About Back Stamps

Some cafe au lait bowls were made in Belgium, Holland (the present day Netherlands) and Germany.  In my personal collection, I have a small bowl made in Holland, likely in the 1930-1940s.  The photo below shows the stamp of the cafe au lait bowl made in Holland.

I own a bowl that is stamped “Luneville, France”. It is an authentic cafe au lait bowl but was produced more recently, possibly in the 1960s.  

The absence of a back stamp may indicate the bowl was made prior to 1920.  Again, you will have to rely on the thickness of the porcelain as well as the design and pattern on the bowl to estimate the age. 

Another note, it is common for the older bowls to have some signs of wear such as hairline cracks or stress cracks that occur inside the bowl, near the lip.  They tend to be vertical and can be a quarter of an inch to an inch long.  Again, these little hairline cracks are a sign of authenticity.  I don’t mind purchasing bowls with these little imperfections. 

Collecting Advice

My advice is always to collect what you love.  Although collectors tend to focus on authenticity and condition of bowls – my personal philosophy is that you should amass a collection that speaks to you.  My personal collection of these bowls includes some bowls with minor flaws such as hairline cracks and the occasional chip.  Having said that, I love these bowls for their character and design.  

I use my cafe au lait bowls on a daily basis.  Primarily for cooking or for holding dips, salsa or herbs. Anything I collect needs to be integrated and used in my daily life.  Although I do use these bowls daily, I only hand wash them.  They never go into the dishwasher. 

Below are some images you can pin to your Pinterest account for future reference.

Red or blue patterned bowls are my favorite colors to collect.

The little bowl shown in the photo above is perfect for holding dips or freshly chopped herbs. If you look closely you can see a hairline crack near the top edge of the small bowl.

Finding Vintage Cafe Au Lait Bowls

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Here are some online sources for buying vintage cafe au lait bowls.  Just remember, when purchasing these bowls online, the prices are likely to be higher.  Here are some online sources:

• Dreamy Whites
• French Garden House 
• Brocante Deco
• Ebay
• Etsy

Modern Day Alternatives

 Some companies make modern day cafe au lait bowls.  These new bowls have the look of older bowls, but are dishwasher and microwave safe. (Also known as dishware that is thermal-shock resistant)  Pillivuyt’s brasserie cafe collection is one such example.  The company has been around since 1818 and continues to make the finest french porcelain dishware.  The “collection brasserie” mimics the look and feel of vintage french menus with words imprinted on the dishes.

Here is a link to their cafe au lait bowls from Amazon. 

You can also find similar style modern versions of cafe au lait bowls on Amazon.

• Here are some new white fluted cafe au lait bowls  , also found on Amazon. They look like traditional caffe au lait bowls and are a great price. 

• This set of 6 pastel bowls is also charming and affordable. 

Other Thrifting With The Gals Posts

If you haven’t yet visited Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest , you are in for a treat! She is sharing 15 ways to get out of a decorating rut. She offers useful advice for those of us who have limited time and money for our decor. Robyn’s home decor is reminiscent of a relaxed European style with lots of patina and warmth.

Below are links to the other ‘Thrifting with the Gals” posts. Head on over to see what they have to share!

Simply click on the image below to learn more.

In Closing

Cafe au lait bowls can be new or old. They can be in perfect condition or have small flaws. Regardless, I find they bring me joy. Isn’t that the point of a collection? Wishing you happy vintage hunting and happy collecting.

Note: “Collecting Cafe Au Lait Bowls” was originally shared 03/28/23 and updated 04/17/25

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