8m2 / 86 sq ft. classically geometric French ceramic c.1920-1930

A classically geometric French ceramic manufactured by Compagnie Francaise de Mosaique Ceramique de Maubeuge (Nord), we would date the tiles to the decade 1920-1930 and include in the photo gallery scans from their period catalogue presenting the tiles.

In a cool palette of greys, charcoal, off-white and royal blue, these handmade tiles are 14.2cm / 5.6 inches sq, & 15mm / 0.6 inches thick. The 400 tiles available provide a surface area of 8m2 / 86 sq ft.

The ceramic is in excellent condition and the tiles can be laid inside or outside the home. There is evidence, on a small number of tiles of pitting, caused during firing when red-hot coke exploded in the kiln owing to the presence of moisture in the tiles, and embedded itself in their surface. Restoration of the floor has also revealed a few tiles with occasional edge nibbles or small groutable chips. This and the occasional pitting all add to this floors unique character and patina. We have included some photographs of the pitting in the photo gallery.

The floor was laid without a border tile, but options for a border may exist in the antique border tiles category if you click here

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.