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