Glazed and Confused: The Majolica of Choisy-le-Roi: Hautin Boulanger et Cie

For some people in France, Choisy-le-Roi’s H.B.&C pottery is best known for the decorated tiles that cover the walls of the Paris Metro or perhaps the maker of their grandparent’s china but for majolica collectors the company is best known for their exceptional majolica. Take for example their charming rabbit dessert series.

Choisy-le-Roi majolica rabbit playing

Choisy-le-Roi rabbit mug

The pottery that produced all of these, which we today call Hippolyte Boulenger & Cie, had its founding long before the Paris subway was conceived and Leon Arnoux invented Victorian majolica in 1851.

History

It began in 1804 in Choisy-le-Roi when a group of three brothers formed a company to open a new family business which was initially referred to as the Paillart Manufactory. The following year, on May 11, 1805, brothers Valentin, Melchior, and Nicolas Paillart acquired a small castle and four hundred acres of property on a former royal estate on which to built an earthenware factory which they called Faïencerie de Choisy-le-Roi. By 1808 they were in business producing faīence earthenware for utilitarian and decorative use. Around 1825 financial pressures drove two of the brothers, Melchior and Nicholas, out of the business. Valentin Paillart then partnered with investor Hippolyte Hautin to help stabilize the business. The new company was called Paillart & Hautin.

Paillart & Houtin Choisy-le-Roi faience transfer plate

The two expanded the pottery and ran it until 1836, when Paillart left from the unsustainably of the partnership. Hautin then took on another partner, Louis Boulenger to form Hautin & Boulanger & Cie. In 1863 the two turned over the management of the pottery to their grandson, Hippolyte Boulanger. [Boulanger’s son Adolphe, had married Hautin’s daughter Alexandrine and had four children, one of whom was Hippolyte Boulenger]. He renamed it H. Boulenger & Cie or H.B.&C. By this time the company had grown to employ 300 workers.

Overview of the grounds of H. Boulenger & Cie

Entrance to H. Boulenger & Cie

Choisy-le-Roi factory exit

The company manufactured all types of everyday and decorative pottery: sanitary wares, dining sets, vases, jardinieres, umbrella and cane stands, pitchers, tile and architectural ceramics. They produced earthenware—faīence, majolica and ironstone—and terracotta with all forms of enamel and transfer decoration for table, decorative and everyday use.

Their majolica production ran from c.1860 to approximately 1910. Stylistically the company was profoundly influenced by the Aesthetic Movement and the Asian art that was in vogue. They soon gained a reputation for excellence through their use of some of the finest sculptors in Europe such as Paul Comolera, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse and his son Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse who became their artistic director.

Choisy-le-Roi catalog page

Choisy-le-Roi majolica cane stand

Choisy-le-Roi majolica elephant planter

Choisy-le-Roi majolica rooster vase modeled

by Paul comolera

Choisy-le-Roi majolica swan vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Roya Crane vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica cockatoo vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica chicken vase \

Choisy-le-Roi majolica duck vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica tiger vase

Drawings from the Choisy-le-Roi pattern book

Choisy-le-Roi majolica chicken vase, Poulé Moyenne

Choisy-le-Roi majolica. chicken figure Poulé Petite

Choisy-le-Roi majolica rooster card holder

Choisy-le-Roi majolica rooster

Choisy-le-Roi majolica swan center

Choisy-le-Roi cockatoo walk pocket

Choisy-le-Roi majolica dog figure

Choisy-le-Roi dog toothpick

Choisy-le-Roi cat and rooster

Choisy-le-Roi majolica lizard paperweight

Choisy-le-Roi majolica figural vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica quail vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Aesthetic vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Aesthetic vases

Choisy-le-Roi majolica floral vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Bacchante figure

Choisy-le-Roi majolica figure

Choisy-le-Roi majolica crucifix

Buste de Velléda by Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse

Under the guidance of H. Boulanger, the company became a major force in the growth of the town of Choisy-le-Roi —erecting housing and schools for their workers, and providing daycare— a role they maintained for years. They soon became the main employer in the city.

Interior of the pottery

Medal awarded to employees after 30 years of service.

Choisy-le-Roi majolica oyster server

Choisy-le-Roi majolica oyster plate

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Palissy plate

Choisy-le-Roi majolica classical plate

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Brooklyn Bridge plate,

part of a large series of of world monuments

Choisy-le-Roi majolica grape leaf plate.

Part of a series of leaf plates

Choisy-le-Roi majolica walnut plate.

Part of a series of fruit and nut plates

Choisy-le-Roi majolica chicken plate,

part of a series of game birds

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Asian plate series

Choisy-le-Roi majolica iris plate, part of a series of floral plates

Choisy-le-Roi majolica iris plate, part of a series of pansy tea wares

Choisy-le-Roi majolica iris plate, part of a series of fruit plates

Choisy-le-Roi majolica shell plate

Choisy-le-Roi majolica asparagus plate

Choisy-le-Roi majolica fruit stand

Choisy-le-Roi majolica compote

Choisy-le-Roi majolica plate, part of a series of matching wares.

Based on a registered Joseph Roth design

Choisy-le-Roi majolica basin

Choisy-le-Roi majolica tureen

Choisy-le-Roi majolica planter

Choisy-le-Roi majolica bird bath

Choisy-le-Roi majolica Aesthetic bamboo vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica vase

Choisy-le-Roi majolica floor vase

Classical jardiniere by Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse

Choisy-le-Roi floral jardiniere

Choisy-le-Roi Vase of the Titans

sculpted by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse with

a stand by Auguste Rodin

Choisy-le-Roi majolica faux bois jardiniere

Choisy-le-Roi majolica jardiniere

Choisy-le-Roi majolica clock

Choisy-le-Roi majolica desk set

Choisy-le-Roi majolica humidor

Choisy-le-Roi majolica holy water font

Choisy-le-Roi majolica match striker

Choisy-le-Roi majolica fan wall pocket

In 1878, the family business was transformed into a joint stock company and took the name of "Société Hippolyte Boulenger et Compagnie.” New facilities and upgraded equipment were added. In 1882 the executive offices were moved to Paris where showrooms for their tiles and other products were showcased to a large international clientele.

Société Hippolyte Boulenger et Compagnie showroom in Paris

Choisy-le-Roi majolica pansey teapot

Choisy-le-Roi majolica tea set

Choisy-le-Roi majolica shell tea set

Choisy-le-Roi majolica shell pitcher

Choisy-le-Roi majolica lotus pitcher

Choisy-le-Roi majolica pitcher

Choisy-le-Roi majolica candlesticks

In 1892 Boulanger died and his son Paul Boulenger took over faience production. Louis Privé, grandson of Hippolyte Boulenger, became the general manager of the company, helped by his cousin Jean Boulenger. By this time the factory covered 700 acres.

Choisy-le-Roi majolica terrine

Choisy-le-Roi majolica egg terrine

Choisy-le-Roi majolica tri-part server

Choisy-le-Roi majolicashell terrine

Choisy-le-Roi majolica shell centerpiece

Choisy-le-Roi majolica bowl

Choisy-le-Roi majolica asparagus basket

Choisy-le-Roi majolica strawberry basket

Choisy-le-Roi majolica basket

Choisy-le-Roi majolica garden seat

In 1922 the company purchased Manufacture de Montereau, owner of the Creil-Montereau brand, and became Hippolyte Boulenger-Creil-Montereau, H.B.C.M. By 1930 the company employed 1400 workers.

Tile and architectural ceramics had been one of their most profitable products since the 1860s. The company’s facility had specialized areas for this production with their stunning hand painted tile murals known for being some of the finest on the continent. A good deal of it was heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau/Jugenstil movement Their flooring tile covered some of the most elegant floors in France. The commission to decorate the walls of the expanded Paris Metro is just one example of their tile work.

Cover of the tile catalog page from 1898

Choisy-le-Roi flooring tiles

Tile catalog page

Architectural details made by H. Boulenger & Cie

Choisy-le-Roi tile catalog

Choisy-le-Roi tile catalog page

Choisy-le-Roi tile murals

Choisy-le-Roi illustration of the Paris Metro installation

Original section of Paris Metro tile by H.B.&C

The “Popular Front” workers strike of May-June in France of 1936 closed the Choisy-le-Roi factory. Employees sought shorter hours, better pay and basic workers rights. The facility was outdated and poorly equipped. A failure to reach an agreement there closed the location permanently in 1938. The site was demolished shortly thereafter. The Montereau and Creil factories then became the company’s heart. They were more modern and had a more specialized production output–mostly commercial tableware. They withstood WW2 and remained open until economic downturn closed it in 1952.

Today you can visit the H.B.C.M. showroom in Paris which is now a museum to the company’s tile and architectural products.

Choisy-le-Roi Paris showroom facade

Choisy-le-Roi Paris showroom hallway

Choisy-le-Roi Paris showroom mural

Marks

The pottery at Choisy-le-Roi used numerous marks over the course of their history, actually too many for me to list here but I will show the most common.