An c.18.5m2+ handmade Boch Freres floor from the belle epoque

A rare, handmade ceramic encaustic floor reclaimed from the hallway of a town house close to Paray le Monial in Burgudy, France. The tiles were manufactured by Boch Freres, Maubeuge in the late 19th / early 20th century and are reversed stamped with the makers identification. Comprising of a principal field tile, a same size and half size border this is a quality and heavy +/- 17cm sq ceramic.

The floors surface totals 18.5m2+ / 199 sq ft.

We show in the photo gallery scans from the original Boch Freres period catalogues, dated 1881 and 1900, presenting the tiles along with a photograph of a section of the floor after lifting and before restoration in our workshop. Boch Freres tiles can be found in handsome Maison Maitre as well as government and ecclesiastical period properties. Displayed in the photo gallery are images of the field tiles laid in the Ursulinen Music Institute in Waven, Belgium.

Total surface area - 18.5m2+ / 199 sq ft+

Country of Origin -  France

Manufacturer - Carrelages Céramiques BOCH FRERES a Maubeuge, NORD

Dating - c.1900

Tile size - 17cm+ / 6.7 inches

Tile thickness - +/- 16mm / 0.63 inch

Weight per tile - 1,400g / 52 ounces

Border lay - Same size and half sized borders

Border corner tiles - 4 large border corners, the small border corners require mitre cutting. 

*More mitred corners can be cut by your tiler from the regular borders. 

Underfloor heating systems - Yes

Indoor / Outdoor application - Both

Fixed to walls or inside showers - Yes, with the correct cements and grouts
 

Tile quantities:-

Field tiles - 473 - 13.7m2 / 147 sq ft.

Large borders - 110 plus 4 corner tiles* - 3.3m2 / 35.5 sq ft. or 19.5 linear metres / 64 linear ft.

Small borders - 105 plus 4 corner tiles* - 1.52 m2 / 16.4 sq ft. or 18.3 linear metres / 60 linear ft.

Tile size, thickness and tones
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.

Condition 
All of our floors go through rigorous quality control during the restoration process. We include tiles which have groutable small chips and edge nibbles, expected of tiles more than 100 years old , but include for free any rejects, which the tiler can then use for offcuts. The photographs in the gallery are of a c.1.5m2 / 16 sq ft.randomly taken sample of the larger floor and therefore representative of the whole floors condition and patina.

Can we help?
If you can provide a technical drawing, or a simple sketch with key dimensions, we are happy to assist in evaluating and recommending the best layout of the floor in your area of choice..