11.5m2 - Stunningly detailed Maufroid Freres et Soeur ceramic floor pre-1912

A classically tessellating but stunningly detailed antique ceramic encaustic floor reclaimed from the entrance hall of a town house close to Charloi, Belgium. The floor was manufactured by Carrelages Céramiques de Chimay, Maufroid  Freres & Soeur, Rue Poncet, Bourlers, Henegouwen, Belgium, who later became: S.A. :La Céramique de Bourlers. 

Maufroid Freres et Soeur traded as such between 1879 and 1912 and the tiles display on their reverse the Maufroid rings and centralised 'M'.

The total surface area is c.11.5m2 /123 sq ft with the floor comprising of three principal tiles;

Main field tile

This is an octagon, 16.3cm wide and high, with 6cm sides, 15mm thick. A sky blue floral motif is anchored on a white fond with mid brown and sky blue linking.

Cabachons

The connecting square tile inserts are 6cm sq and in the same sky blue.

Border tiles

These are can be laid in duplicate or singularly and are again 16.3cm square, 15mm thick. Introduced to the palette, in what again is a vegetally themed motif, are leaf green, light blue and apricot with charcoal piping. The border tiles are indulgent and both compliment and add impact in framing the more geometric tessellation of the field tile. There are seven corner tiles reclaimed from the floor. The missing border corner, should you opt for a back to back border lay, will need to be mitre cut by the tiler when laying the floor.

The floor has cleaned very well of its old mortar and wax, revealing strong and consistent colours and a good ceramic. Being a highly fired tile it can be laid inside or outside of the home and will work very efficiently with underfloor heating systems. A small number of tiles display edge nibbles or small chips as can be seen in the photographs below, all groutable and to be expected of an antique tile more than 100 years old, but the ceramic is superb and there is no wear in the surface of the tile slip.

Tile Quantities, give or take one or two:-

Octagon field tiles - 270 - 7.2m2 / 77 sq ft

Border tiles* -  155 (7 corners) - 4.3m2 / 46 sq ft 

Cabachons - included in above

*Linear length of borders:-

Single lay is 26 linear metres / 85.3 linear ft

Double lay is 13 linear metres / 42.6 linear ft.

plus free offcuts