| Designer |
|
| Maker | Villeroy and Boch |
| Marks | Impressed “A” “VilleroyeBoch Made in Luxembourg” |
| Description | Plain slipware bowl with flared lip flat unglazed base with notched edge. Plain harlequin gloss glaze to exterior with plain white gloss glazed interior. Stem handle attaced to lower third of bowl, angled upwards. |
| Condition | Very Good |
| Number | No number but capital “A” impressed on base |
| Production Date | 1960s |
| Width | 92mm |
| Depth | 43mm |
| Length (with handle) | 146mm |
| Weight | 140gm |
| Volume | 180ml |
| Acquisition | 1 at Taupo in NZ, 3 at Oakleigh Charity shop |
| Rameking Reference Number | VAB 001-004 |
In a way, Luxembourg is a bit like one of the characters from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy that never made it to the films. For those who may not have read the books, there is a character in them named Tom Bombadil. Tom is ancient and existed before the time of the rings who have no power over him. He exists in his own land while the affairs of men and history swirl around him. I think a lot of people may see the Duchy of Luxembourg in that light. It has existed long before most of its neighbours and for the most part has been able to avoid the vicissitudes of much of European history.
Because of its location, the Duchy of Luxembourg has been unable to completely avoid the tide of history, despite existing for around a thousand years. Banking, finance and insurance are now the main industries. The only thing that I can say with certainty is that on the day I was there a few years ago now, the country was closed. It was a Sunday and because Luxemburgers are mostly Roman Catholic, the old ways still endure. One of the old ways that sadly no longer endures is the Villaroy and Boch factory. They ceased production there in 2010 and now produce everything in Germany. There is still a factory outlet shop and education centre there.
Faiencerie Septfontaines
Visitor’s Centre
330, rue de Rollingergrund
L-1018 Luxembourg
Telephone: (352) 46821359
Fax: (352) 461553
Web Site: www.villeroy-boch.com/en/
In 1746 Jean Francois Boch, (1695-1754) the owner of an ironworks decided to branch out and began a tableware pottery , lead glazed earthenware, “Jean Francois Boch et Freres” with his three sons in Audun Le Tiche, Lorraine, France, near the German border. Nicholas Villeroy (1759-1843) founded an earthenware pottery in Vaudrevange, known today as Wallerfangen near Frauenberg ain Saarland Germany round 1785. Nicholas produced his wares under the direction of English potter John Leigh. Jean Francois Boch Jnr (1735-1817) learned transfer printing and other ceramic techniques in England. Jean Francois employed six of the local villagers as well and was later elected mayor.
Nicolas-Henri and Augustin Jacobi together with Joseph Fabry began a faience and majolica factory at Sarrguemines in 1790. Revolutionary troops destroyed it in 1794 but Pierre -Joseph Boch (1737-1818) rebuilt using borrowed money. Nicolas and Augustin sold their interest to Francois Paul Utzschneider. Paul had worked for Josiah Wedewood and was an excellent potter and capable businessman. He introduced English techniques to the works, hence the imitation jasper ware.
In 1798, Charles Regnier started the Longy Faience Factory in an old convent. In 1815 he sells to Jean-Antoine de Northomb and his wife Christine Boch, daughter of Pierre Joseph Boch. Pierre Joseph was married to Antoinette Northom, a Luxemburger.
In 1836 Baron Alexandre de Geiger, Paul's son in law took over management and a new company was formed between the Baron, Paul, Auguste Jaunez and Villeroy and Boch. This company is known as Utzschneider et Cie (and company). Jean francois leaves in 1841 to spend more time at the other works in Belgium and Luxembourg.
For years the two potteries competed in the same markets until the 14th of April 1836 when Eugene, son of Pierre Joseph Boch merged with Villeroy. Villeroy got 60%, Boch 40%. Even though both companies were doing well, the merger created a larger company that could compete with British Imports. Together their production quickly grew, in range quality and material.
They started a stoneware factory in Mettlach, Germany on the banks of the Saarschleiffe, the horseshoe bend of the Saar river, specializing in decorating beer steins. One process called chromolith produced in the late-19th and early-20th century involved inlaying colorful mosaic designs into the body of the steins. These are treasured by collectors today. They also later made ceramic sanitary ware. A marriage between Eugene Boch and Sophie Octavie Villeroy (1823-1899) on the 3rd of May 1842 helped seal the business union. Mettlach is located near the borders of France Luxembourg and Germany. Eugen later became Mayor of Mettlach.
Even though production was mainly from Vaudrevanges and Mettlach. They bought a porcelain factory at Tornai, that was kept until 1971. Unglazed stonewares began in 1842 emulating Wedgewood's Jasper ware with white figures on coloured background. They also bought Schramberg in 1883 and Steingutfabrik Torgau in 1926, Steingutfabrik und Kunsttopfrei Franz Ant. Mehlem, Bonn, Mosaikfabrik Deutsch-Lissa near Bresslau in 1920. These companies in Germany were managed from Dresden.
The name Mettlach is derived from Latin for "mid-lakes," Nicholas Villeroy and Eugene Boch, Grandson of Jean Francois joined forces and set up their stoneware factory in an abandoned Benedictine Abbey that had a tower completed in the year 1000. It was modeled after a cathedral built for Charlemagne in 786, and a representation of this edifice was later used on the company logo. After receiving a licence from the Empress of Austria in 1766, the Boch's began another factory in 1767 at Septfontaines, (seven fountaines) in the Duchy of Luxembourg where they continued production until 2010. Luxembourg was then part of the Austrian Netherlands.
The "Château de Septfontaines" dates from the 18th century and was the residence of the Boch brothers. The castle is situated in a park in the heart of the city of Luxembourg on the outstanding site of the Villeroy & Boch porcelain manufacturing plant, only a few minutes away from the city centre.
In 1795, the Chateau is taken over during the French Revolution. Pierre Joseph Boch and his family escaped. On their return, the Chateau needed extensive renovation. It is now the site of the Villeroy and Boch museum, although between 1914 and 1870, it was not in family hands.
Mettlach is most famous for its steins, and they made some of the most highly desired of these beer containers. But Mettlach also made a wide variety of other objects including vases, ewers, tazzas, tobacco jars, beakers, punch bowls, pokals (large ceremonial drinking vessels with lids), teapots, covered dishes, jardinieres, baskets, clock cases and ink stands.
Eugen (pronounced oygn) Boch, whose hobbies included archaeology, had the revolutionary idea of creating an industrially manufactured floor tiles based on Roman floor mosaics that were both attractive and offered good value for money. These became known as the “Mettlach tiles” and fragments of these tiles that accompanied the maiden voyage of the luxury ship “Titanic” were later rescued from the depths of the ocean.
In 1892 Eugene was the first of the family were raised to the Prussian nobilility. From then they were known as von Boch Galhau. However it was the products sent to the World Exhibition, held in Antwerp in 1885, that gave us the works of art we know today. Production reduced considerably around 1912, due to recession in Europe. More problems followed the Treaty of Versailles in 1918 when the re-division of Europe meant that their factories were now in several different countries. Then in 1921 a disastrous fire destroyed all the moulds, manufacturing secrets and documentation of the Mettlach factory. Stein production restarted in the 1970's.
The golden age of production at Mettlach was at the turn of the twentieth century. During this time, using guarded secret techniques, the etched, glazed, cameo and phanolith (pâte-sur-pâte) wares were at the pinnacle of their production. Pâte-sur-pâte is an elaborate and expensive method of decorating porcelain in which a translucent cameo-like image is built up by the application of many thin coats of porcelaneous slip. Johann Baptist Stahl (1860-1932), celebrated for his cameo and phanolith stoneware models, was active at Mettlach during the period 1895 to 1920.
While the company is no longer run by a family member with the present Group Chairman of Villeroy & Boch being Frank Goering, there are however various family members presently working in the company. Since 1990 the company has been listed on the German stock market, ticker symbol VIB3, but the voting capital is still in the hands of the family descendants. The company's Luxembourg factory was closed down in 2010. Acquisitions in Eastern Europe have expanded their product range and market reach.
