A rare 11.5m2 French Douzies Maubeuge triple border floor

A Rare Legacy of Ceramic Artistry: Early 20th-Century French ceramic from Douzies Maubeuge

Reclaimed during the careful renovation of a period property in Trélon—near the Franco-Belgian border—this exquisite floor is a testament to the golden era of French industrial ceramics. Manufactured in the early 1900s by the famed Fabrique Produits Céramiques de Maubeuge, this floor carries the legacy of one of northern France’s premier producers, based in the industrious commune of Douzies Maubeuge.

Totalling approximately 11.5m2 (124 sq ft), the floor is a sophisticated composition of handmade tiles, crafted in limited batches at a time when quality and artisanal precision were paramount. The design is founded on the lay of a four tile configuration to open up its motifs: a motif that blossoms in its floral theme.  These principal tiles are beautifully framed by an impressive triple-border—two half-size band themed tiles bookending an ornate, fluid full size border which, in both design and palette, takes from the floors principal tiles. 

The palette is classic and cool: hues of leaf and sage green, amber, and off-white, each tile measuring 15 cm (5.9 inches) square and 15 mm (0.6 inch) thick, with the smaller borders elegantly scaled to half-width.

The floor has been expertly lifted and restored, its cleaned surface now revealing crisp colours and a consistent quality slip —the hallmarks of ceramic excellence. A photographed 1.2 m² section in our gallery showcases the surface's remarkable preservation. We've also included rare archival scans from the Douzies Maubeuge catalogue of the era, offering a glimpse into the manufacturer’s original design repertoire.

The second, smaller floor, reclaimed from the same residence is equally complelling and available for viewing and can be seen if you click here.

Tile quantities by tile type:-

Field tiles - 380 - 8.6m2 / 92 sq.ft.

Large borders - 59 plus 2 corners - 1.4m2 / 14.8 sq. ft or 9.2 linear metres / 30 linear feet.

Small borders - 133 plus 6 corners - 1.5m2 /  16.5sq. ft or 20.4 linear metres / 66.9 linear feet.

NOTE
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.