Thursday 21 July 2016

Mudlark Finds - French Backstamp Ceramic Fragment


I found this small fragment of china at the weekend on the River Thames foreshore with a French backstamp. Although I have not been able to trace the design I was able to track down some interesting details from the backstamp.
Emile Bourgeois (1832-1926) was the owner of the Grand Depot at 21 rue Drouot in Paris which was a department store selling ceramics. Shops at other locations included the one at 33 rue St-Ferreol in Marseille which can be seen on the backstamp of my fragment of china beneath the Paris address. 

Emile spent time in England between 1856-1860 studying commerce and after trade agreements were signed he became the main representative of British ceramic manufactures in France. He was also responsible for initiating the Grand Depot magazine/catalogue displaying the china he was selling to encourage customers to place orders or choose their items before visiting the shop. 

If you look at the shopfront (on the left and above the entrance) you will see advertisements for English Iron Stone, English Majolica and the words ‘Stoke on Trent’.

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