Important Louis XVI Period Fireback (113x98 Cm)

Important, rare and elegant fireback from the Louis XVI period, found in Montlebon in the Doubs. Decorated with a floral bouquet in a medallion, surrounded by holly branches bound by a ribbon, accosted by turned columns surmounted by flowering branches, two medallions, with sunflowers, hemmed with pearls, adorn it on either side and four flowered vases in the upper part complete its ornamentation. Its frame is adorned with a frieze of ovals and a string of pearls. His weight is 153 kg. Our last photo: painted metal sign, Comtois Museum of Besançon. Forges de Loulans et Larians Melted in Loulans les Forges (Loulans-Verchamp) and Larians (Larians and Munans), in Haute-Saône, these plates marked PL, LL, LOULANS or not marked, but of the same model, from the Louis XVI for the oldest, large sizes whose frames are more refined (frieze of ovals and darts and rosary of pearls) will be reproduced in smaller dimensions with simplified frames (rosary of pearls or simple set of moldings and listel with fillet for the simplest) while keeping the original moulds. In the middle of the 19th century, the foundries moved towards the manufacture of stoves, cookers, furnaces and in particular heating appliances. The forges of Loulans in activity since 1562, property of the Montmarin family, lords of Loulans, doubled their production in the 18th century, by the family of ironmasters Rochet and property of the Boistouset family. Its furnace is authorized, in 1737, for the joint exploitation of mines in rock of the furnaces of Loulans and Larians. From 1791 to 1805 the factory was operated by forge master Nicolas Gauthier, then sold around 1820 to Mr. Henry and operated by François Bernard Derosne, forge master at Grace-Dieu in the Doubs. In 1825, it mainly produced cast iron objects such as stoves, fire hydrants, ornamental cast iron, among others. The blast furnace, which occupied a hundred workers before its extinction in 1870, is dismantled, the activity continues until the closing of the factory in 1888. The forges of Larians, whose old building bore the date from 1656, which no longer exists today, were operated by the Bouchet family during the second half of the 18th century. Owned by Nicolas Damotte in 1811, they were acquired around 1820 by François Bernard Derosne, forge master at Grace-Dieu (Doubs) and operated jointly with the nearby Loulans furnace. The factory changed direction several times before the blast furnace was extinguished in 1862 or 1863. It was operated between 1894 and 1900 by the Derosne et Cie company, then was sold in 1959 to Mr. Girardet-Dartevelle. The factory was taken over in 1991 by the Société des Fonderies de Treveray (55), belonging to the Hachette-Driout group and still in operation today, with production in cast iron alloy. For the plates marked PL, it is necessary to read Pont-les-Moulins and Larians because these two forges were linked by the master of forges François Bernard Derosne who acquired in 1802 the forges of La Grâce-Dieu then that of Pont-les- Moulins, sold in 1836 to settle in Larians. He is the owner of these last since 1820 (former property of Nicolas Damotte in 1811), exploited jointly with that of Loulans. The forges of Pont-les-Moulins are known from 1401 and leased with the mine located near Baume-les-Dames. Sources: - Similar plaques at the Comtois Museum in Besançon - Pop.culture, Architectural Heritage (Mérimée), Raphaël Favereaux, for Loulans and Larians, very comprehensive records. - Pierre Gresser, From the mine to the forge in Franche-Comté, from the origins to the 19th century, 1990, page 117/127/143. - Journal of the statistical society of Paris, volume 65 (1924), p. 111. - Departmental archives of Doubs: 9J Forges de la Grâce-Dieu at Pont-les-Moulins and Larians. You can visit our website: www.claudeaugustin.com