24m2+ / 258 sq ft. triple border French ceramic - beautiful patina

A Monumental Heritage Floor — 24m²+ / 258 sq ft+ of Handmade French Ceramic with Vine-Leaf Borders

This rare and expansive antique floor—totalling over 24m2 / 258 sq ft—is a superb example of late 19th to early 20th-century French ceramic craftsmanship. Handmade by Carrelages Céramiques de Boch Frères, Maubeuge, each tile bears the original BOCH FRÈRES MAUBEUGE stamp and is documented in both the company’s own catalogues and the 1886 edition of sister company Villeroy & Boch, Mettlach, Germany—a testament to its design pedigree and cross-regional influence.

At the heart of the layout is a four-tile tessellated field motif, framed by a triple border configuration that elevates the floor from decorative to architectural. Most striking is the vine-leaf themed large border tile, a quintessentially French design that evokes the country’s deep connection to viticulture and natural ornamentation. Paired with a latticed half-size border, laid in duplicate, the composition creates a layered visual rhythm that is both structured and organic.

Each tile—approximately 17.2 cm (6.8 inches) square and c.2 cm (0.8 inches) thick, weighing over 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs)—was crafted using traditional moulds and slip techniques in a slow, handmade production process. Pre-computerisation and automation, colour slips were mixed by eye and firing time in kilns could be variable, both in heat and firing time. As a result, the floor exhibits subtle tonal variations in colour, often a hallmark of handmade ceramic production. These production variations, along with the occasional groutable edge nibbles or small chips on a small number of tiles, commensurate with the age of the floor, form a rich and unique antique patina that modern manufacturing cannot replicate. The randomly selected section of the floor taken for photography is representative of the whole floor.

Floors of this scale, completeness, and historical documentation are exceedingly rare. With its vine-leaf borders, robust handmade construction, and direct ties to two of Europe’s most respected ceramic houses, this floor is not merely a surface—it is a walkable artefact of French decorative heritage and the floor arrives ready to be relaid and re-celebrated

Total surface area - 24m2+ / 258 sq ft+

Country of Origin - France

Manufacturer - Carrelages Ceramiques Boch Freres, Maubeuge (NORD)

Dating -  Late 19th, early 20th century

Tile size - +/- 17.2 cm field, +/- 17cm large borders, +/- 17cm x 8.5cm half sized borders. Corner tiles present.

Tile thickness - variable but generally +/- 16mm

Weight per tile - 1.3kg / 2.9lbs

Border lay - Same size border framed top and bottom by half sized boder

Underfloor heating systems - Yes

Indoor / Outdoor application - Both

Tile quantities by tile type:-

Field tiles - 675 - 20.6 m2 / 222 sq ft.

Large border  - 59 plus 4 corners 1.86 m2 / 20 sq ft. or 10.8 linear metres / 35.4 linear feet 

Half size border  - 125 plus 8 corners 1.88 m2 / 20.2 sq ft. or 22.2 linear metres / 72.8 linear feet

NOTE
Antique tiles were most commonly made in single or two tile moulds. Before current computer automation methods their moulds were made my hand and the colour slips mixed by eye. Kiln temperatures could also be variable, as could the firing time. The result is that often tiles display subtle size and thickness variations and there can be tonal variations in colours, owing to the slip mixing and/or firing time. All of this makes these handmade tiles unique and adds to their charm. Some floors display their subtle variations in size and tones, some not, but when photographing we always take a random section of the floor so that it is representative of the whole. A tiler should always dry lay a section of the tiles to familiarise himself with them before starting to fix lay.