The George Jones Biarritz Plates

George Jones majolica Biarritz plate

If you’re at all familiar with George Jones majolica you have certainly come across the two “Biarritz” plates the company produced as souvenirs for tourists to this French ocean resort. The question arises, why Biarritz? Well it all comes down to the fashion of the times.

The first time I ever heard of Biarritz was when I was a teenager. I followed the BBC series Upstairs Downstairs and one of the main characters, Lady Marjorie, referred to it as a favorite vacation spot for herself and her upper class friends. The series was set during England’s Edwardian period which was about thirty-five years after the George Jones plates were executed but her comment immediately conveyed a certain aura to the resort. The reference piqued my curiosity and I looked the town up. (Poor Lady Marjorie had an unhappy ending in the series not long after, going down with the Titanic.)

The cast of Upstairs Downstairs

You could say this interest with Biarritz all began with Victoria Hugo, the well respected author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Victor Hugo

He visited, what was then a small whaling village, in 1843 with his mistress Juliette Drouet and wrote rather floridly, about it: 

“I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect than Biarritz. I have never seen the old Neptune throwing joy and glory with such a force in the old Cybele. All this coast is full of humming. Gascony's sea grinds, scratches, and stretches on the reefs its never-ending whisper. Friendly population and white cheerful houses, large dunes, fine sand, great caves and proud sea, Biarritz is amazing. My only fear is Biarritz becoming fashionable"

Engraving of Biarritz 1843

Villa Eugénie

Though his collected travel essays through France and Spain, Alpes et Pyrénées would not be published until after his death his words proved prophetic. In 1854 Napoleon III had a home built, "Villa Eugénie” overlooking the Biarritz shore. Then the railway appeared making it an easy to reach recreational spot for the masses. It soon became a fashionable resort for all of the wealthy of Western Europe. Queen Victoria, the King of Spain and other royals vacationed there regularly. It became a playground for the rich. It is within this framework that the Jones pottery created two souvenir plates for those fashionable tourists to take home with them.

The “Biarritz” plates date to circa 1872. This was a very busy year for George Jones. The company was hurriedly creating pieces for their exhibit at the 1873 International Exposition in Vienna. It is possible that the plates were designed to be shown at the Exposition, considering how fashionable the resort had become by this time but there is no confirmation of their appearance. Another possibility exists that they were commissioned by a particular vendor in France but there is no surviving information that confirms that either. In any event the plates are relatively rare and difficult to find today.

George Jones majolica Biarritz plate

There are two designs. The first is of a man who looks like a sailor, or possibly just a bather, carrying a woman in the water. The second is of a woman raking the surf for clams or other sea life with a clam rake (The plate is colloquially called The Shrimper). Both plates have the same brown and green border of seaweed and colorful seashells. Only the first one mentioned has the name BIARRITZ on it but they were clearly intended as a pair.

Biarritz, France postcard c. 1890

Their rarity has these plates bringing high prices in the marketplace so if they appeal to you, expect to pay for them handsomely. Otherwise you can just be content looking at lovely images of Biarritz today.

Hôtel du Palais, formerly Villa Eugénie

The History and Majolica of Orchies

Some of the most charming, and amusing, majolica found in the marketplace originated at a pottery in a town in the Hauts-de-France region of French Flanders, called Orchies.

Emile Joseph L’Herminé-Declercq (!855-1931)

History

Emile Joseph L’Herminé was born in Rebaix, Belgium on December 26, 1855. In his 20s he established a small successful pottery in his home town in Belgium. In 1879 he married Marie Thérèse Declercq adopting the married name Emile Joseph L’Herminé-Declercq. By 1886 he decided to expand his operation by partnering with his brother Louis L’Herminé, also a potter, and acquired an abandoned tile factory across the Belgian/French border in Orchies France. The area was known for its good clay already being the location of the famous nearby pottery Moulin des Loups at Saint-Armand-les Eaux, a faience factory that had been in operation since 1705.

The factory at Orchiies

Emile brought his workers from Belgium to staff this new pottery, and immediately began production of tile and faience for everyday use. The company soon acquired an old textile factory on Rue del la Poterne and converted it to a second pottery by building three kilns.

In 1904 the company began production of decorative majolica under the name L’Herminé et Cie, specializing in the humorous pieces for which the company would be known. Surviving catalog images show the diversity of subjects they tackled.

By 1908 the company employed 250 adults and children in their two facilities producing faience, earthenware, majolica, porcelain, stoneware and tile. A visit by representatives from the official publication of the Société de Géographie de Lille quoted a tour guide of the factories thus:

"In one [factory], the most important by the size of the facilities and the number of personnel, we make objects of all kinds... In the other, perhaps more interesting, we take care of the interior and exterior ornamentation of buildings… A large oven could hold 18,000 1-liter jars and it takes a wagon of coal to cook its contents.”

The publication went on to describe specifics of the production of the ware including the company’s use of 80 different molds for their wares. They reported that at that time the Faïenceries d'Orchies included three distinct sections, one for manufacture of so-called culinary pottery, the second the majolica articles and finally the third of a recently constructed work area for the manufacture of  opaque, white and decorated porcelain (table services, toilet services). The entire factory complex was then employing 650 workers.

The year the publication was issued Emile was elected mayor of Orchies. His son Adrien assumed temporary management of the pottery. Incidentally, Adrien L’Herminé was married to Marguerite Deschars, the daughter of the director of faience production at Choisy-le-Roi.

The decoration room

Shipping area

A molding room

Unfortunately all of this came to an end six years later on September 25, 1914 when Germany invaded France at the beginning of WW1. Upon hearing of the impending occupation, Mayor L’Herminé-Declercq evacuated Orchies to prevent the massacre of its citizens.  

The invading Germans looted the pottery stock and sent the company’s specialized pottery machinery to Germany. They transformed the use of the facilities, turning the potteries into offices, workrooms, a sawmill and stables for their horses. This is how the grounds remained until the end of the war when the Germans left France in October 1918. As a departing gesture they dynamited the pottery’s furnaces and destroyed the buildings by explosives, leaving nothing but rubble in their wake.

The rubble of L’Herminé et Cie

The rubble of L’Herminé et Cie

The rubble of L’Herminé et Cie

After the war, Emile rebuilt his pottery at Orchies. For actions in saving the citizens of Orchies he received the French Legion of Honor. In November of 1920 the factory became functional again.

Orchies after WW1

Orchies after WW1

In 1923 economic factors forced L’Herminé et Cie and the nearby Wandignies Hamage factory of  Moulin des Loups to merge becoming Moulin des Loups & Hamage, Orchies. The factory began to prosper again reusing the old majolica designs and focusing on new Art Deco decorative items, tableware, utilitarian pottery, sanitary wares and serving vessels. 

In May of 1940 work at the pottery was again disrupted by war with Germany’s occupation of France in the prelude to WW2. Personnel , material and energy shortages followed. Output was reduced and concentrated on utilitarian items while decorative items were diminished in number. After the end of the war the company followed contemporary tastes, making more modern wares into the 1960s and 70s. Eventually, financial strain closed the company in 1980.

The Majolica

L’Herminé et Cie at Orchies most of all was known for their satirical majolica pitchers of animals and people.

Orchies majolica Pichet Chat aux Yeux verts

Orchies majolica Pichet Chat à la Mandoline

Orchies majolica Pichet Chien dans son tonneau

Orchies majolica Pichet Cygne

Orchies majolica Pichet Coq (le Grand)

Orchies majolica Pichet Coq (le Petit)

Orchies majolica pitcher Edmond Rostand

Orchies majolica pitcher Cacatoès

Orchies majolica Pichet Pélican

Orchies majolica Pichet Canard

Orchies majolica Pichet Renard signé Foubert

Orchies majolica Pichet Singe

Orchies majolica Pichet L'Ane qui brait

Orchies majolica Pichet Coree

Orchies majolica Pichet Cochon. Also made by Onnaing 

with slight differences. In the Onnaing version the food

and the ear are larger

Orchies majolica Pichet Le Chien Policier

Orchies majolica Pichet Ecureuil

Orchies majolica Pichet Lapin a la Carotte

Orchies majolica Pichet Grenouille

Orchies majolica Pichet La Murène

Orchies majolica Pichet Chinois

Orchies majolica Pichet Le Député Socialiste

Orchies majolica Pichet Zouave signé Foubert

Orchies majolica Pichet Nouveau Né signé Foubert

Orchies majolica Pichet L'Ecolier

Orchies majolica Pichet La Femme Cocher

Orchies majolica Pichet Sapeur Pompier

Orchies majolica Pichet Sapeur Pompier

Orchies majolica Pichet Femme a la Hotte

Orchies majolica Pichet Pied de Nez 

Of course Orchies also made other pitchers as well including the floral pitchers that French majolica companies are known for.

Orchies majolica Pichet Lilas 

Onnaing majolica Pichet Fuschias

Orchies majolica Pichet Dahlias

Orchies majolica Pichet Fleuri à motifs de Marguerites

Orchies majolica Pichet Raisins

Orchies majolica Pichet Iris

Orchies majolica Pichet Dahlias

Orchies majolica Pichet Coquelicot

Orchies majolica pichet Bégonia

Orchies majolica Pichet Floral

Orchies majolica Pichet Arbre Fruitier

Orchies majolica Pichet Houx

Orchies majolica Pichet Fleurs de Fraisier

Orchies majolica pansy pitcher

Orchies majolica Pichet Rameaux de Fleurs

Orchies majolica Pichet Bandes et Fleurs

Orchies majolica Pichet Vannerie et Rocaille

Orchies majolica Pichet Pavot

Orchies majolica Pichet Floral

Orchies majolica Pichet Trompette

Orchies majolica Pichet Tulipe

Orchies majolica Pichet Muguets

Orchies majolica 

Pichet Mille Fleurs

Orchies majolica iris pitcher

Orchies majolica leaf pitcher

Orchies majolica Pichet à Bandes

Orchies majolica Pichet A la Fenêtre

Orchies majolica bird pitcher

Orchies majolica Pichet Cochons

Orchies majolica Pichet Chasse

Orchies majolica swan pitcher

The company did, however make general decorative items for use in the home such as jardinieres, plates, vases umbrella stands, banks and serving pieces.

Orchies majolica pig bank

Orchies majolica dog bank

Orchies majolica cat bank

Orchies majolica cow

Orchies majolica asparagus box

Orchies majolica iris umbrella stand

Orchies majolica cat umbrella stand

Orchies majolica dog umbrella stand

Orchies majolica swan umbrella stand

They also made tiles, mostly for architectural use and signage. Some examples of their tile work.

Orchies majolica faux bamboo tile trivet

Marks

Unfortunately Orchies was inconsistent with their markings. They most frequently used L D to mark their wares for L'Herminé & Declercq, surrounded by the O for Orchies. The most well known mark is a windmill, the Moulin-des-Loups. Occasionally however, they only used a catalog number which requires a familiarity with their patterns. The numbers on their pieces designate the model, the individual number specifies the size. Their non majolica wares use an ink windmill mark

Prices

Prices on Orchies majolica are relatively within the reach of most collectors with plates and pitchers selling for between $100-$200. Specialty pieces like oyster plates may command more. Larger pieces like umbrella stands and some jardinieres will bring higher prices.

Former location of the Orchies pottery today