9.5m2 of Perrusson antique ceramic garden patio tiles

Reclaimed from the garden patio of a house in Ecluses, Burgundy and dating from the early 20th century

9.5m2 of handmade ceramic tiles manufactured by Perrusson et Fils for external use on a patio, in a greenhouse, summer house or as an entrance path

With a lattice cut finish, 274 tiles in cream, totalling 7.9m2 and 57 tiles in bordeaux, totalling 1.6m2

Tonal variations in colour owing to their being handmade in small batches

The tiles are 17cm square, 3cm thick and weigh 2.5 kgs each

The photographs show a small representative section of the floor

The tiles have a rich time aged patina with some displaying chips and edge nibbles and others capillary cracks; formed when the tiles were cooling after leaving the kiln

Perrusson - a brief history...

Jean-Marie Perrusson was not only known for ceramic tile production but also for the production of bricks and roof tiles. Many of the lozenge themed terracotta mechanical tiles in Burgundy bear the Perrusson hallmark. He built his first brick making factory in 1860 and started mechanical tile production in 1863, to which he added a workshop for manufacturing ceramic tiles in 1875. Further expansion of the ceramic tile production in the Saône-et-Loire was initiated (in Saint-Julien-sur-Dheune in 1866, St. Pantaleon 1870), and even beyond the department (in Sancoins Cher in 1870 and Fontafié in Charente in 1878).

The company was renamed ‘Perrusson fils et Desfontaines’ in 1890 and the factory also manufactured architectural ceramics and statues. In April 1960 the factory finally closed its doors. The vast majority of the original buildings constructed in 1890/1900 are destroyed with the offices, changing rooms of the factory, the concierge and the electrical workshop the only significant remnants of the site that can still be seen.

The Perrusson factory employed 40 workers in 1860, 80 by 1874, 130 in 1890, 300 at its peak in 1900, 280 in 1930 and 130 during 1945 to 1950.