A quality c.24m2 antique ceramic floor with original borders produced by Douvrin c.1900

An impressive, large, handmade French antique ceramic floor produced by Compagnie de Fours Ceramiques, Ceramiques de Douvrin at the beginning of the twentieth century, reclaimed from a Maison Maitre in the Belgian city of Namur, close to the French border.

The total surface is 24m2 / 258 sq ft and both the principal field tile and same size border tiles are 14cm sq / 5.5 cm sq. The large borders are then framed by a double lay of a plain half size border tile in a complimentary palette.

This is a rare floor and an excellent ceramic from a heritage producer. Despite being over 100 years old the colours are strong and crisp and we have included below a scan from the original Douvrin catalogue showing the tiles with their same size and half size borders. The warm cornflower blue of the main field tile with its wheat coloured motif and red circular linking is framed by an ornate lozenge same size border which further introduces the dark red. The four large border corner pieces are present and correct but the small border corners will need to be mitre cut. The floor was also laid in a small adjacent room to the main reception room and another complimentary large border tile, which we have shown below in the photographs, was used.

The floor has cleaned well of its old lime based mortar and years of wax. There are small chips and nibbles apparent on some tiles, all grout-able, which as the high resolution photographs show add to the charm of its antique patina. Being highly fired ceramic encaustic tiles they can be laid inside or outside of the home as high summer temperatures and sub-zero winters will not affect their robustness. They can also be laid most effectively with under-floor heating systems.

Tile quantities, give or take one or two:-

Field tiles – 945 – 18.5 m2 / 200 sq ft

Large border tiles – lozenge style – 73 plus 4 corners – 1.5 m2 / 16 sq ft (10.8 linear metres / 35.4 linear feet)

Large border tiles – star style – 95 – 1.87 m2 / 20 sq ft (13.3 linear metres / 43.6 linear feet)

Small border tiles – 200 – 2m2 / 21 sq ft (28 linear metres / 30.6 linear feet)