A. Lanternier & Cie Limoges mark history & backstamps

Adrien Dubouché Museum, Limoges  photo RMN-Grand Palais / Jean-Gilles Berizzi 

In 1857 François Frédéric Lanternier opened a porcelain decorating studio in Limoges. Around 1885, in association with Breuil, he took over the former Chabrol factory and started producing the wares that were decorated in his studio that employed 34 painters in 1870. The company carried on an extensive exporting business with table china being the primary product line. In 1890, Frédéric's son, Alfred, who had worked in England as a representative for Wedgwood, joined him and the company name was changed to A. Lanternier & Cie. At that time they bought another factory in Limoges. During the World War I they produced fine quality doll heads. From 1918 onwards the factory produced table wares (tea, coffee and dinner sets). In 1925 A. Lanternier presented several pieces at the Paris Decorative Arts Exhibition and was awarded a "Grand Prix" of the jury. The porcelains presented by Pomone design studio (Au Bon Marché department store) and La Maîtrise, the design studio of the famous Paris department store Galeries Lafayette, were produced by Lanternier. They also participated in the 1931 Paris Colonial Exhibition. The company merged with Porcelaines G.D.A. in the late 1960s.

1920's hand painted set

Some of the pieces presented at the Paris Decorative Arts Exhibition.
Photo from the magazine "La Vie Limousine", 1925

c.1918 - 1929 differences: Limoges France green mark,
and worse print quality

with the "Limoges Unique" label created in 1929
and used for a short period
(probably until 1939)

later mark with better print quality
 and mention of the pattern name   

CF & P Limoges mark history & backstamps

 In 1917 the Chabrol brothers, already in the porcelain business, associated with Poirier and 

founded Chabrol frères (brothers) & Poirier at the 117 Ancienne route d'Aixe in Limoges.  

 In 1925, Marcel, one of the Chabrol brothers, left the company and started working independently until at least 1936. His brother continued producing in association with Poirier until 1933. 

 Chabrol & Poirier manufacture produced high quality tea, coffee and table sets. Most patterns were entirely hand painted. The pattern name and the colour of the pattern were usually handwritten on the interior of the coffee pot lid. The manufacture was awarded a "Grand Prix" from the jury at the 1925 Paris Modern Decorative Arts Exhibition and participated in the 1931 Colonial Exhibition. 

Coffee set shown in the 1925 Paris Exhibition of  Decorative Arts 
in the Copenhague pattern in grey created by René Crevel
Limoges, Adrien Dubouché Museum   

pattern name "Copenhague" and the colour "gris"
(grey in french) on the interior of the lid

Hand painted Carmen pattern in yellow  (1929 - 1933)

pattern name "Carmen" and the colour "jaune" (yellow in french)
on the interior of the lid

Mark used from 1925 onwards

c.1929 - 1933 the Limoges Unique mark
was used along with the manufacturer's mark

1936 press ad from the magazine "La Vie Limousine"

Limoges porcelain at the 1931 Paris Colonial Exhibition

The Limoges pavillion at the Colonial Exposition
in "La Vie Limousine", 1931

"Coconut Trees and Antelope" pattern created by

 René Crevel for the Paris Colonial Exhibition 

Manufacturer - Bernardaud

Limoges pavillion interior view
in "La Vie Limousine" 1931

Robert Haviland

In 1924 Robert Haviland, at the age of 27, founded his own china making business marking his wares with his name. Two years later, through a partnership with his brother-in-law Pierre le Tanneur, a new company was born : “Robert Haviland & le Tanneur”.

Shortly before World War II, Camille Parlon, the owner of Union Céramique, brought his know-how to their business. In 1941, Robert Haviland acquired the “Charles Field Haviland” brand. In homage to the memory of his grandfather, he decided to stamp this brand on chinaware produced by his company, which was renamed “Robert Haviland & C.Parlon” in 1949.

pattern inspired by Kandinsky, one of the pioneers of  abstract art

c. 1926-1941

this mark might have been used alone in early pieces - c.1924-1926  

Vignaud brothers (1911-1938)

c.1912 - 1938, Vignaud brothers, Albert and Gustave.   

c.1938-1970, A. Vignaud - from 1938 one of the Vignaud brothers,
 Albert, continued alone. In 1970 the factory was sold to Bernardaud.   

The "Limoges Unique" mark

The "Limoges Unique" mark was created in 1929 by the union of the Limoges 

porcelain manufacturers as a label to certify genuine Limoges porcelain.
It was used for a short period along with the factory mark and the decorating studio mark.

List of the manufacturers and decorating studios that used this mark along 

with their own mark from 1929 onwards: 

in "Histoire de la Porcelaine de Limoges" René Dessagne 

A.F - André François (1919-1934)

A. Lanternier & co (1887-1978)

A. Pillivuyt & Fils (1914-1937)

Balleroy & Cie (1908-1937)

L. Bernardaud & Cie

C.F. & P. -  Chabrol Frères & Poirier 

M. Maigner & Cie (1925-1931)

Porcelaines Elté - Léon Texeraud (1923-1930)

Robert Haviland Le Tanneur (1926-1941)   

T.L.B.- Touze, Lemaître Frères & Blancher (1918- 1939)

Union Porcelainière (1928-1963) 

   

Limoges porcelain at the 1925 Paris Exhibition of Decorative Arts

Limoges Pavilion by the architect Pierre Chabrol
in "La Vie Limousine" - August 1925

Inside view of the Limoges region pavilion - ceramics room
in "La Vie Limousine" - August 1925

in "La Vie Limousine" -  August 1925

Manufacturer: Porcelaine Limousine (P.L.)
pattern by René Crevel, interior designer and painter (1892-1971)
shape by Pierre Chabrol (1881-1967)
in "La Vie Limousine" -  August 1925

Porcelaines Elté - Léon Texeraud (1923-1930)

MG Limoges - Mavaleix & Granger (1920-1938)

In 1920 Paul Maurice de Malaveix, who exploited the factory with other partners between 1900 and 1914, associated with J. Granger but did not resisted war injuries and died the same year. Granger took charge of the company in association with his inheritors. By 1926 the factory employed 160 workers. He died in 1938 and the factory was closed.    

TLB circle shaped teapot in detail

TLB Limoges - history and backstamps

Some of the pieces presented at the Paris Art Deco Exhibition
photo from the magazine "La Vie Limousine" - 1925



  The story of the Touze family in the porcelain business dates back to 1863 when Michel Touze and his associate Soudanas founded a decorating studio in Limoges at the boulevard des Petits Carmes which Touze continued alone from 1869, moving to brand new facilities the following year. In 1878 his widow took charge of the family business, followed by their son a few years later. 
  The mark J.B.T & Cie was used from 1901 to 1913. During World War I the company ceased activity. 
  T.L.B. (Touze, Lemaître Frères & Blancher) was created after the war, in 1918. The manufacture produced tea, coffee and table sets in several shapes. Some patterns were entirely hand painted. 
  The manufactory participated in the 1925 Modern Decorative Arts Exhibition, in the 1931 Colonial Exhibition and in the 1937 International Exhibition. 
   Like many other factories in the Limoges region, the company ceased activity during World War II.
  From 1950 onwards the former facilities of T.L.B. were used by the porcelain decorators Georges Jammet and Henri Seignolles who founded J. Seignolles, a factory that still produces high quality porcelain manufactured and decorated exclusively in Limoges. 

      

c.1918-1929, this mark showing only the company name
was used before the creation of the "Limoges Unique" mark (1929) 

c.1929-1939
(the "Limoges Unique" mark was created in 1929)