A small run of antique Belgian tiles - pre-1912

A small run of 22 half size ceramic tiles manufactured by Carrelages Ceramiques Maufroid Freres et Soeur, Bourlers, Henegouwen, Belgium between 1879 and 1912.

The tiles are handmade and 16cm x 8cm / 6.3 inches x 3.15 inches.

In a cool palette of green and grey they can be used as a decorative feature, offering a total linear length of 350cm / 138 inches.

Professionally restored and arriving ready to relay some tiles have minor defaults and edge nibbles, all groutable and adding charm to their antique patina.

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.