French Bavent Terracotta Faience Bunny

Never heard of the company Mesnil de Bavent Pottery of Normandy, France but after I researched them I find their pieces adorable. My bunny is only 7" long.
The marks on this piece are "Made In France" , "Modele Repose" , "Bavent" followed by something else and above is a name I cannot read, possibly the artist? So far cannot find an examples with all this markings. The Made In France would make it more recent but curious about the rest that I cannot read.

Thanks

 

Here is another rabbit by Bavent, but sitting up. I really don't know what all markings mean other then to say "Modele Repose" means something like based model. That script word looks like Hobit. I wonder if Hobit might be Hobbit meaning this rabbit is based on those huge rabbits in the book The Hobbit???

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Whi...aience-Glass-Eyes-GAZING-SIGNED-/391094174827

--- Susan

 

Instead of "modele repose" that probably says "Module Depose." This is more or less equivalent to our patented, like a patent has been filed.

--- Susan

 

Closer, clearer pictures of the marks might help. I'm seeing modele repose, which may mean the rabbit is laying down as opposed to sitting or running. There may a be whole series of these. I think the name may be Holit or Holis and is probably the maker. It has been a long time since I read The Hobbit, but I have no recollection of giant rabbits. If hares were mentioned, they would have been brown (I imagine).

 

Here are more of Bayvent rabbits:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bav...c61Esu1yASq7YEo&ved=0CCsQ7Ak&biw=1024&bih=649

Several of Bavent Rabbits have sold well. I've seen descriptions of their rabbits similar to the following:

"French tin-glazed terracotta majolica bunny with realistic glass eyes from renowned Bayvent potters. Marked "Bayvent Normandy Made in France Modele Depose."

https://www.onekingslane.com/product/32556/1812439

https://www.google.com/search?q=Bayvent+Pottery+history&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=Bavent+Pottery+rabbits

http://www.antiques-delaval.com/en/...sculpture-earthenware-pottery-drool-19th.html

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.poterie-bavent.com/&prev=search

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/...ssed-2059075-details.aspx?intObjectID=2059075

http://www.trocadero.com/stores/Suzanne/items/1208973/item1208973.html

As to The Hobbit and the rabbits, I was wrong as to the book. Tolkein didn't have them.i The movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, did have a sleigh pulled by giant rabbits, sorry.

--- Susan

 

I'm not far from Bavent... The pottery is most famous for its roof ornaments - "épis de faitages". Here are some images:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=f...ed=0CCUQsAQ#tbm=isch&q=epis+de+faitage+bavent
Your rabbit was probably intended to sit on a roof, you see a lot of pottery animals like that around the area!
It's definitely "Modèle déposé" - like a trademark.
They are still in business, here's their website with a history page and a lot of pictures - there is a button to click for the English version which is better than the Google translate given above:
http://www.poterie-bavent.com/
(They are expensive. I can't afford one!)
Recently sold items on ebay.fr:
http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_sop=3&_nkw=bavent&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc