Vintage French ceramic Pierrot Gourmand lollipop display stand

This is something way out of my typical collecting area, but it was too interesting & unusual to resist! Also, a super op shop find for a low price...I must admit, I have always fancied the idea of collecting vintage advertising items but what with all the glass I haven't gone there!
This caught my eye a few days ago in a local op shop. I thought I'd go back today & see if it was still there, & there it was. So it came home with me. The shop assistants were speculating as to what it could be used for as I went to pay for it. I thought it was a vintage point of sale advertising piece, & that the Gourmand in the title suggested a food product. The small holes on either side of the figure hinted it held something on a stick, & the childlike clown meant the product would appeal to kids...so my guess was a stand for lollipops. And, my guess was correct!
This company is still in business & has been an iconic French confectionery manufacturer for over 100 years. The confectionery company was first established in 1892. Pierrot Gourmand lollipops have been made since 1924, with the classic ceramic display stands coming into use in 1926.
The item is an example of slip cast ceramic, & measures 22 cm tall at the highest point & 19 cm wide across the base.
It has been hand painted, & there is a mark on the base which is a little blurry so I'm still researching the exact maker.
The condition isn't perfect, with a few minor chips & cracks, but otherwise it displays very nicely & is definitely something different.
French origin, early 20th century. How this ended up in an op shop in Katoomba is anyone's guess, although there is a bit of a French community up here...