The Collector's Handbook to Keramics of the Renaissance and Modern Periods Part 13

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 217.--TEAPOT.]

CAEN, Normandy. Established and supported by some of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants, at the time of the French Revolution (about 1793), when several workmen from Sevres came to join it. It was carried on for a few years, but no market being found for the ware, the factory was discontinued at the commencement of the last century. It is hard paste, and equal to that of Sevres, and of the same forms.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 218.--CUP AND SAUCER. _With "Caen" stencilled in red._]

VALENCIENNES (Nord). By an Order of Council, dated 24th May 1785, M.

Fauquet was permitted to carry on a manufacture of porcelain at Valenciennes. He was originally established at St. Amand in the manufacture of fayence as early as 1775, and probably carried on both works simultaneously.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 219.--CUP AND SAUCER. _Mark, F. L. V., in cipher, in blue._ Diam. 3-3/4 and 6-1/4 in.]

ST. AMAND-LES-EAUX. Founded by M. Maximilien de Bettignies in 1815, for the manufacture of _pate tendre_ porcelain like the old Sevres. He was formerly proprietor of the Tournai manufactory, which he ceded to his brother Henri when that city became re-annexed to Belgium.

STRa.s.sBURG. About the year 1752, Paul Hannong obtained the secret of true porcelain from Ringler, and started a factory here, but in consequence of the monopoly of Sevres he was compelled to relinquish it, and in 1753 removed to Frankenthal, where he greatly flourished under the protection of the Elector Palatine Carl Theodore.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 220.--CUP AND SAUCER. _Mark, J. H._ Diam. 2-5/8 and 5-5/8 in.]

Ma.r.s.eILLES. An important manufactory of porcelain was established here by Jacques Gaspard Robert about 1766. Porcelain was made also by Honore Savy and Veuve Perrin, but was only of secondary importance. The works were closed about the period of the French Revolution in 1793.

PARIS. Rue Thiroux. Established in 1778 by Andre Marie Lebeuf, and the ware was called "Porcelaine de la Reine."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 221.--SUCRIER. _Mark, crowned A._]

PARIS. Rue de Bondy. Opened in 1780 by Dihl and Guerhard, under the patronage of the Duc d'Angouleme, and the ware was called "Porcelaine d'Angouleme."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 222.--EWER AND BASIN.]

PARIS. Rue Fontaine au Roi. This factory, called "De la Courtille," was established in 1773 by Jean Baptiste Locre, who was afterwards joined by Russinger in 1784. The latter during the Revolution became sole director.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 223.--PART OF A TEA SERVICE.]

PARIS. Faubourg St. Honore. A factory was established here by Veuve Chicanneau, _nee_ Marie Moreau. The teapot, Fig. 224, was probably made at these works.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 224.--TEAPOT. _Mark, V{e} M. & C._]

PARIS. Pont-aux-Choux. In 1784, Louis Honore de la Marre de Villars opened an establishment for the manufacture of porcelain in the Rue des Boulets, Faubourg St. Antoine. It was afterwards disposed of to Jean Baptiste Outrequin de Montarcy and Edme Toulouse, who in 1786 obtained a brevet from the Duke of Orleans, Louis Philippe Joseph, and authority to sign the productions with the letters L. P., and to take the t.i.tle of _Manufacture de M. le Duc d'Orleans_. They were afterwards established in Rue Amelot, _au Pont-aux-Choux_, by which name the porcelain is generally known.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 225.--TEAPOT.]

The former name ceased in 1793, with the condemnation of the Duke of Orleans, and the objects subsequently produced were inscribed merely "_Fabrique du Pont-aux-Choux_."

PARIS. Rue de Crussol. Established in 1789 by Charles Potter, an Englishman, and the ware was called the "Prince of Wales's China."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 226.--CUP.]

PARIS. Belleville. Originally established in 1790 by Jacob Pet.i.t; but later removed to Fontainebleau. The products of the first period were much esteemed, being well painted and well modelled, bearing Pet.i.t's mark; but the proprietor unwisely altered his original plan and imitated Dresden, counterfeiting also the mark of the crossed swords. Jacob Pet.i.t also made biscuit figures, birds' nests, flowers, &c.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 227.--WATCH-STAND. _Plain white of rococo form.

Mark, J. P. in blue._ Height 5 in.]

PARIS. Rue du Faubourg St. Denis. Fabrique de Charles Philippe Comte d'Artois, afterwards Charles X. This manufacture was the most ancient of all those established in Paris. Hannong of Stra.s.sburg, who brought into France the secret of hard porcelain, formed the first establishment in 1769. Having obtained the protection of Charles Philippe, Comte d'Artois, it was called by his name. The factory belonged actually to Bourdon des Planches, who continued the manufacture of hard porcelain, &c., but the works were closed in 1810.

VINCENNES. There was a porcelain manufactory here in 1786, quite apart from the royal factory. It was directed by M. Le Maire, probably the same who founded that in Rue Popincourt, which was ceded to M. Nast in 1783. There were four establishments at Vincennes; the first by the brothers Dubois, subsequently transferred to Sevres; the second by Maurin des Aubiez, in 1767; the third by Pierre Antoine Hannong; and the fourth that described above.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 228.--CUP AND SAUCER. _Mark, H. L. L., in gold._ Diam. 2-1/2 and 5 in.]

VINCENNES AND SeVRES

The history of the celebrated manufactory at Sevres must be traced back to that of St. Cloud, which was founded as early as 1695. Here Louis XIV. accorded his patronage and favour by granting exclusive privileges.

In 1735 the secret of the manufacture was carried, by some of the workmen, to Chantilly, and for a time continued there by the brothers Dubois. They left in a few years, taking with them their secret, and settled at Vincennes, where a laboratory was granted them, but after three years they were dismissed.

In 1745, a sculptor, named Charles Adam, formed a company, and the scheme was approved of by the king, privileges being accorded them for thirty years, and a place granted for their works in the Chateau de Vincennes. In 1753 the privileges of Charles Adam were purchased by Eloy Brichard, and Louis XV. took a third share; hence the factory became a royal establishment. Madame de Pompadour considerably encouraged the ceramic art, and it arrived at the height of perfection. The buildings were found too small to meet the increasing demands for the beautiful productions, and in 1756 the works were removed to a large edifice at SeVRES built expressly for the company.

A favourite decoration of Vincennes porcelain was flowers and birds, on a beautiful _bleu de roi_ ground, and cupids painted in _camaeu_ of a single colour.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 229.--VASE. _Bleu de roi ground, with panels with birds in gold. Mark, double L enclosing a dot, in gold._ Height 9-1/4 in.]

In 1760 the king became sole proprietor, and M. Boileau was appointed director.

In 1769, after Macquer had brought the making of hard paste to perfection, the manufacture was successfully established at Sevres, and both descriptions of china continued to be made until 1804, when, Brongniart being director, soft paste was altogether discontinued, and declared to be "useless in art, of expensive manipulation, dangerous to the workmen, subject to great risk in the furnace, &c."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 230.--CUP AND SAUCER. _Bleu de roi ground, with white medallions enclosing birds in gold. Mark, double L, in blue._ Diam. 2-5/8 and 5-3/8 in.]

The princ.i.p.al colours used in decorating the ground of the Sevres vases were:--

1. The _bleu celeste_, or turquoise, invented in 1752 by h.e.l.lot.

2. The rich cobalt blue, called _bleu de roi_, of which there were two varieties, the darker being designated _gros bleu_.

3. The _violet pensee_, a beautiful violet from a mixture of manganese, one of the rarest decorations of the _pate tendre_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 231.--VASE.]

4. The _rose Pompadour_ (called in England _rose Du-Barry_), a charming pink or rose colour invented in 1757 by Xhrouet of Sevres.

5. The clear yellow or _jonquille_, a sort of canary colour.

6. The _vert pre_, or bright gra.s.s green.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 232.--eCUELLE. _Dated 1771._]

7. The _vert pomme_, or apple green.

8. The _rouge de fer_, a brilliant red.

9. The _il de perdrix_ was at a later period a favourite ornament for the grounds of vases.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 233.--BISCUIT GROUP. CUPID AND PSYCHE.]