7.9m2 antique St Remy Belgian ceramic with triple borders - 1905

Of a geometric theme, these 15cm square field tiles in a cool palette of dove grey, off-white and mid-blue create a circled cross motif linked in its tessellation by burgundy and sky blue faux cabochons. The field tiles are framed by the original lush borders, one full size border top and tailed by a half border laid in duplicate. The floor was manufactured by Societe Anonyme des Produits Ceramiques St.Remy-Chimay (Belgique) c.1905 and we include in the gallery scans from their original catalogue showing the field and border tiles.

The surface area is 7.9m2 / 85 sq ft. being 270 field tiles, 40 large borders and 80 half size borders.

As the high resolution photographs show the tiles have cleaned well revealing a 15mm thick ceramic of excellent quality. The floor has a rich antique patina; there are subtle variations to slip colours owing to its handmade production, occasional edge nibbles and small chips are apparent on a number of tiles, expected of a floor over 115 years old. The high resolution photographs in the gallery are of a randomly selected section of the floor and represent the whole.

Being ceramic and highly fired at over 1,100 degrees, the tiles can be laid with under-floor heating systems as they are superb retainers and distributors of heat and as they are impervious to high summer and sub-zero winter temperatures can be laid inside or outside of the home. The ceramic is fine and dense and the tiles do not need sealing once laid as a regular wash is all that is needed to retain their beauty.

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.