2 Langeais Earthenware Chocolate Pots From The 19th Century, Hollow Cb Brand

2 Langeais earthenware chocolate pots from the 19th century CB brand in hollow for Charles Heard de Boissimon Decor of 3 platinum strips on a creamy white background Pouring spout decorated with platinum acanthus leaves Worked handle Very good general condition 1 very small restoration on the edge a lid h: 16.5 cm d at the neck: 6.5 cm d base: 7 cm long with handle: 12.5 cm History of earthenware: In 1839, aged 22, Charles de Boissimon established himself in Langeais with his cousin, they founded a company producing ceramic products and refractory bricks. Presented in 1841 at the Exhibition of “products of industry and arts in Tours”, they received a silver medal, but it was with the making of decorated pottery that he created his style. He participated in numerous international exhibitions and won numerous medals. In 1850, he became the sole owner of the factory. The materials used at that time already offered great color possibilities obtained from metallic oxides such as chromium, cobalt, copper, tin, iron, manganese, lead, urane, zinc... which produce greens, blues, grays, yellows, shades of red, browns and ivory. Charles begins to offer customers vases, bowls and lamps decorated with bunches and vine branches. Charles de Boissimon was also a winemaker and would like to draw inspiration from nearby nature. The production was very diverse: ivy berries, currants, acorns, cherries... Between 1850 and 1860 there was a real explosion of techniques. Brongniart advised Charles to add kaolin to the Langeais earth to make it even more malleable. C. de Boissimon will then be able to give free rein to his imagination. We find vases, woven baskets… It was in 1862 that Charles de Boissimon filed a patent for “printing gold and platinum on vitrifiable materials”. This material is still little known; it is imported from Peru and Chile. Here begins the Langeais period with platinum decoration. This unalterable and stainless metal gives earthenware an incomparable shine. Charles de Boissimon died in 1879. His son, a doctor, left management of the factory to Paul Arthur Busson de Langeais. Little investment is made in the factory. In 1889, he died in turn. His widow will do everything to save the company but in vain. The company was sold in 1909. The new owners tried to revive the factory and once again made artistic earthenware which they intended for foreign markets. The war of 1914 breaks out. The factory is solely dedicated to the production of refractories. At the end of the war tastes changed and the production of earthenware was definitively abandoned.