3 field tile, 10.75m2 / 116 sq ft antique Paray le Monial ceramic – 1903

Reclaimed, along with a second floor, from the renovation of a period townhouse close to Roanne, central France, a heritage handmade ceramic manufactured by Ceramiques Paray le Monial in 1903. These 14cm square tiles, complimented by their original 14cm x 7cm half-sized border consist of two stylized floral-themed tiles, one left-facing, the other right-facing and a linking tile of a gothic-influenced motif on a burgundy slip. The tiles are reverse-stamped, identifying them as having been manufactured in the eponymously named Burgundian town, famous for its tile production in the late 19th and early 20th century and its internationally known Basilica, completed in the 14th century. 

The surface area of the floor is 10.75 m2 /  116 sq feet

We have included scans from the original 1903 Paray le Monial catalogue presenting the principal field tiles and the half-sized geometric-themed border. Despite their age, 116 years old, they are in excellent condition and have cleaned superbly, revealing a good quality ceramic and a consistent and deep surface slip. 

The floor was originally laid in the reception room of the house, at an angle to the walls, so we have been able to recover 52 half-motif tiles which were used to key the principal field tiles to the border. The floor can also be laid square on to the borders. Both options exist and we provide these triangles for free should you wish to use them. The floor is in excellent condition; a few tiles bear small groutable chips or edge nibbles, but the tiles are robust, the ceramic excellent and the patina, as the photographs testify, is charming.

Being a highly fired tile and a dense ceramic, the floor will not require sealing once laid as a regular wash will be all it needs to maintain its beauty. It can be laid inside or outside of the home and will work very efficiently with underfloor heating systems.

Tile quantities:-

PRINCIPAL FIELD tiles – 190  – 3.72 tiles (supplied free) – 0.5m2 / 5.6 sq ft.
FIELD tile – ‘Flower right’ – 94 1.84m2 / 19.8 sq ft. 
FIELD tile – ‘Flower left’ – 99 1.95m2 / 20.9 sq ft.
LARGE BORDER tiles – 67 plus 3 corners – 1.37m2 / 14.8 sq ft. or 9.8 linear metres / 32.2 linear ft.
HALF-SIZED BORDER tiles  – 140 plus 4 corners 1.4m2 / 15 sq ft. or 19.7 linear metres / 64.8 linear ft.

NOTE Antique tiles were most commonly made in single or two tile moulds. Before current computer automation methods their moulds were made by hand and the colour slips mixed by eye. Kiln temperatures could also be variable, as could the firing time. The result is that tiles often 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.