Monumental 840 sq ft Boch Frères Gothic Revival Ceramic Floor, circa 1881
Currently in France and soon to be shipped to The French Antique Tile Company
An extraordinary 145 year old ceramic floor manufactured by Carrelages Ceramiques Boch Frères a Maubeuge (NORD), dating from around 1881 and totalling an exceptional 840 sq ft. Reclaimed from a church in the suburbs of Brussels, this remarkable floor survives with its original 3 tile series borders and period catalogue documentation for provenance, all included within the gallery.
One of the floor’s most impressive attributes is its sheer scale. Antique ceramic floors of this size and completeness are exceptionally rare and, because of the large surface area available, the floor lends itself particularly well to finding a new home in larger residential and commercial environments. Boutique hotels, restaurants, winery tasting rooms, cafés, luxury retail spaces and gallery interiors would all benefit from the atmosphere and visual impact this unique floor creates.
The design combines richly modelled surface-relief field tiles with an imposing triple-border arrangement almost 20 inches wide. Intricate red scroll borders, arranged in opposing left and right patterns, create a dramatic architectural frame around the main field tiles. Produced during the height of the Gothic Revival and decorative arts movement, the floor balances grandeur with remarkable precision and refinement.
The 6.7 inch square handmade tiles remain in superb condition following restoration, reflecting the outstanding quality and dense ceramic body for which Boch Frères became internationally respected. Each tile weighs more than c.3lbs.
Equally effective in grand residential settings, this is a rare opportunity to incorporate an authentic and historically important ceramic installation into a high-end interior or hospitality project.
Tile Quantities
Field Tiles – 1,875 tiles – approximately 583.4 sq ft
Large Plain Grey Border Tiles – 525 tiles plus 2 internal and 11 external corners – approximately 166.8 sq ft / 292.8 linear ft
Large Red Scroll Border Tiles – 294 tiles plus 2 corners – approximately 88.7 sq ft / 161.6 linear ft
Note:-
Our antique tiles were originally handmade in single or two tile molds. Pre-computer fabrication these molds were machined by hand & the colour slips to create the tile were mixed by measure and eye. When firing the tiles, the kiln temperatures of c.1,100F degrees could also be variable. The result of this production process is that tiles made during this period of non-automation often display subtle size & thickness variations and there can be tonal variations in colors, all of which add to their charm and uniqueness. When photographing a floor, we always take a random section so that it is representative of the whole in tones and patina.
A rigorous quality control during the restoration process will include in the sale any tiles with groutable small chips and edge nibbles, expected of tiles more than 100 years old, but include for free any with larger defaults as rejects, which the tiler can then use for offcuts.
Can we help?
If you can provide a technical drawing, or a simple sketch with key dimensions, we are happy to assist in evaluating and recommending the best layout of the floor in your area of choice. Click here for more details