5m2 / 54 sq ft. Douzies Maubeuge ceramic floor - early 20th century

The smaller of two impressively detailed and fine quality ceramics reclaimed from a property renovation in Trelon, France, close to the Belgian border. The floors were both handmade in small batches in the early twentieth century by Fabrique Produits Ceramiques de Maubeuge, Douzies Maubeuge, France, a company founded in 1882. For provenance, we include in the photo gallery scans from their period catalogue presenting the tiles.

The total surface area of the floor is c.5m2 / 54 sq ft. and the configuration of the floor is of 15cm / 5.9 inch sq principal field and same size border tiles and a half-sized border, which is laid in duplicate.

These antique tiles feature a beautiful and intricate design composed of multiple decorative borders and a central patterned field. The main floor area displays large, star-like floral motifs in shades of light blue, white, and black. The interlocking symmetrical patterns repeat seamlessly across the surface, giving a refined and elegant appearance and the detailing is impressive. Framing the floor is a triple-border tile configuration consisting of a half-sized border of repeating oval and diamond shapes in black, gold, and blue. This border tops and tails the inner more ornate same-sized border which features a scroll design in gold and light blue, with accents of red floral elements set against a burgundy background. Where the half-sized border is pure, simple and symmetrical, this border adds warmth and decorative richness to the overall composition. Fine dust-pressed clay pigments were used to create these robust, highly fired tiles.

The tiles are in excellent condition, as a random 1.2m2 / 13 sq ft. section of the floor in the photo gallery show; colours are crisp, there is no surface wear and the tiles have a deep slip. Commensurate with their age, some display the occasional small chip or edge nibbles, all groutable and delivering a charming antique patina. Having been highly fired to over 1,100F degrees they can be laid inside or outside the home, where sub-zero temperatures will have no effect on the tile, and they will work very efficiently with underfloor heating systems. 

Given this is a small surface area and the design is rich and ornate, it lends itself well to being laid as a carpet-style feature in a larger area surrounded by an antique hardwood or a complimentary plain modern ceramic, taking its colour from the floors palette.

We include in the gallery some photographs of the floor pre-lifting and the second larger floor from the reception room of the same property.

Details of the second, larger floor can be seen if you click here.

Tile quantities

FIELD tiles - 140 - 3.2m2 / 34 sq.ft.

LARGE BORDER tiles - 40 plus 2 corners - 0.95m2 / 10.2 sq. ft or 6.3 linear metres / 20.7 linear feet.

HALF-SIZED BORDER tiles - 85 plus 4 corners - 0.98m2 / 10.5 sq. ft or 13 linear metres / 42.6 linear feet.

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.