Fig. 81.—Vase.
Fig. 81. Vase with cover, one of a pair; urn shape, painted to resemble deal, with medallions containing landscapes in rose camaïeu, and borders of bay leaves. It bears the mark of Count Custine; date about 1774; height 17⅜ inches.
Douai. Two brothers of the name of Leech, from England, were engaged, in 1782, by M. George Bris, of Douai, to superintend the manufacture of English pottery on a large scale, in a factory (now a Normal School) in the Rue des Carmes. It was one of the first of the kind established in France. The chief workmen, who came originally from England, instructed pupils, who carried the new process to Chantilly, Forges, and other places in France.
Vincennes. In 1768 M. Maurin des Abiez undertook a manufacture of fayence in the manner of Strassburg, it being well known that there did not exist in France any fayence comparable to it in beauty and solidity; he had purchased the secret, and brought to Paris a staff of workmen who had been engaged at Strassburg. He acquired possession of the Château de Vincennes for twenty years. Pierre Antoine Hannong was engaged as director, and the works were carried on for four years, until 1771, when the factory got into difficulties and was closed.
Sarreguemines.[3] Established about 1770 by Paul Utzschneider. The beautiful fayence produced here is in imitation of porphyry, jasper, granite, and other variegated hard marbles, and was sometimes cut and polished by the lathe; it was also made with white raised figures on blue in the style of Wedgwood, and a third kind was red ware like the Japanese. The name is impressed on the ware.
St. Amand-les-Eaux, near Valenciennes. Founded about 1750 by M. Fauquet, and continued by his son. The latter occupied himself especially with the gilding of his ware, which gave his neighbours the opportunity of saying he melted all his louis-d’ors in making his experiments and ruined himself. In the revolution of 1789 he emigrated, and all his goods were confiscated. In 1807 he attempted to revive the fabrique, and advertised that the St. Amand works were in full activity, making white fayence in the style of Rouen.
Fig. 82.—Inkstand.
Fig. 82, an inkstand, with ink and pounce pots and drawer, painted on a grey ground with blue and white flowers under the glaze; about 1760-80.