c.33.4m2+ antique Maufroid Freres et Soeur ceramic pre-1912

A large handmade antique Belgian ceramic floor manufactured by Carrelages Ceramiques de Chimay Maufroid Freres et Soeur BOURLERS.

Total surface available 33.4m2  / 358 sq ft​

The floor bears the reverse stamp of a circled M, dating the tiles as having been produced between 1875 and 1912. We include in the photo gallery a scan of the presentation of the tiles in the original Maufroid Freres et Soeur catalogue in our possession.

16cm square and +/- 15mm thick the tiles are in a warm palette of primrose blue, aqua green, mustard, off-white and charcoal piping.

The floor has cleaned well, the ceramic is excellent and there is no surface wear. Some tiles display capillary cracks, formed when the tile left the kiln and was cooling, and there are some bearing small chips and edge nibbles, all groutable.

Floor configuration:-

The floor consists of a principal field tile and the border series is the large blue border and the half size border, quantities for which are below. The large border is laid as a single lay tile.

Additionally, there is a mustard coloured same size border tile, which can be laid singularly or back to back, as shown in the photographs. This was originally laid as an internal decorative frame within the floor i.e with field tiles inside and then outside of it until it met with walls in the room. We have recovered 3 of the 8 border corner tiles for this internal frame although additional ones can easily be mitre cut from normal border tiles.

Tile quantities by tile type:-

Field tiles - 990 tiles - 25.6m2

Large border 'blue' - 170 tiles plus 8 corners - 4.6m2 or 28.6 linear metres / 93.8 linear feet

Small border - 150 tiles  - 1.9m2 or 24.2 linear metres / 79.2 linear feet

Large border 'mustard' - 50 tiles - 1.3m2 or 8 linear metres / 26.4 linear feet

This is the second occasion in 15 years that we have come across this floor. Our previous client in Ontario, Canada installed the floor in a porch and hallway to stunning effect and was kind enough to send up post installation photographs which can be seen here