For more than 185 years, "La Faïencerie de Gien" has been universally recognized for the quality of their creations. From the Loire valley in France, this faience manufacturer offers traditional and contemporary patterns.
Change the atmosphere as your feelings and fancies change... You could have a great dinner service or make your own place settings. Give a new touch to everyday life.
»History
Origins
Gien was founded in 1821 by Thomas Hall, and Englishman who wanted to introduce fine English earthenware manufacturing techniques in France.
Production first began with functional tableware, then went on to make fancier dinnerware, decorative pieces and tableware emblazoned with notable families' coats of arms.
The factory works non-stop on improving quality and developing artistic creativity. By following this philosophy, Gien has produced exceptional pieces, which it has presented at the various Universal Exhibitions from 1855 to 1900.
In the 20th Century, in spite of wars and other crises, modernization and creation continue.
Today, Gien is both the number one producer of the highest quality earthenware in France, and a top-selling company both at national and international levels. Its product lines are highly unique and distinguish themselves from other pottery with rich, refined and varied shapes and styles. Louis Grandchamp has headed the Gien Factory since January 2002.
Today, Gien is both the number one producer of the highest quality earthenware in France, and a top-selling company both at national and international levels. Its product lines are highly unique and distinguish themselves from other pottery with rich, refined and varied shapes and styles. Louis Grandchamp has headed the Gien Factory since January 2002.
»Technical Process
1-Making the moulds
The mould maker has the skills of a sculptor carves a model that will be used to make the first mould which will be used to make the master mould.With this mould they will make the plaster manufacturing moulds. In order to maintain the constant quality in each reproductions, these moulds are made of either hard plaster or resin.
2-Preparing the clay
The pasty substance that constitutes earthenware is made up of different type of clay, kaolin and a variety of sands.These ingredients are diluted in water, ground, kneaded, sieded and filtred into the shape of a wafer before being transformed into a liquid paste to be poured, known as barbotine.The air is remouved from the mixture and it is shaped into logs of paste for the plate mouling process.Thanks to this know-how developped for over 185 years, Gien has managed to completely master the clay-making process itself.
3-Shipping
The moulding used to manufacture the plates, uses a plastic type clay, air removed and sliced into starting pieces.The paste is kept on a mould that rotates on its own axis. A bore is than used to spread out the layer of paste that makes up the piece. Pouring is a technique used to manufacture complex pieces such as coffee pots, oval dishes, tea cup handles, ect.
The barbotine is a liquid paste used in the pouring process and is poured into a mould. The plaster absords the water allowing the clay to dry quickly along the interior walls of the mould, the barbotine takes. A piece is obtains that is eas to remove from the mould easily as the clay naturally pulls away from it.
4-Accessorizing
Then each piece can have its accessories added to it: handles, spouts, ect., and are attached using a special barbotine. During the finishing process, each piece is smoothed and polished, giving them a faultless finished.After drying and firing at 1160°C, the pieces becomes biscuit pocelain.
5-Decoration the pieces
The creative departement proposes patterns that are inspired by the factory's archives , sush as Blue Background Renaissance, Toscana, Pivoines (peonies), Raphael, Marie Louise, and also the creations of famous artists such as Dominique Lalande, Valérie Roy, Fabrice Moireau and Patrick Jouin.
Chromography
Pattern transfer has been done since 19th Century. This transfer is delicatelyapplied on white enameled pieces. Decorated pieces are then fired at 1060°C.
Hand Printing
Manuel printing is the oldest decorative technique used in earthenware manufactures. The motifs are printed using hand-engraved cooper plates.Gien has over 8,000 of these handcrafted cooper engravings in its repertoire of artistic tools. The oldest ones dating back to the early 19th Century. In order to carry out a decorating test using this procedure, the plate is smothered with and oily susbtance that contains ceramic dyes. After carefully scraping it, it is covered with tissue paper, and then it is run under a press to do the transfer. To print on the biscuit porcelain, the printed tissue paper is then placed manually on the earthenware with the printing side touching it, patting it down to obtain a perfect transfer of the oil-based color. The decorated piece is then washed with water to remove the tissue paper, and dried before sending it off to the painters or to the enameling process. Machine printing can be used for mass production of plates. In this mecanical procedure the plate is substituted with a serigraphy screen, and the transfer occurs through latex membranes pressed onto the biscuit porcelain by silicone stamps.
Hand painting
This is the domain of the artist and painter and of color. Using ceramic colors that are made by Gien- thus ensuring color and quality consistency- the painter makes his own mixture by adding water and glycerin to make it easier to use. The bleu background, one of the technique for which Gien is renowned is known for the dept of its color and is extremely difficlt to apply. In order to achieve a uniforme background, the painter has to guide a drop of color between the brush and the biscuit porcelain without allowing the brush to touch, or risking the appearance of a lighter colored streak after firing.
After been painted, the pieces are fired to remove grease to fix the colors and bum up the greasy substances. The pieces are then checked and carefully cleaned so they can be send of to the enameling process. Each is enameled by hand by dipping it into the enamel, which is finely ground and in suspension in water. This process needs to be quick and precise to ensure it is coated evenly, without excess or dripping. The porous biscuit porcelain absorbs the water, leaving the enamel particles affixed to the surface.
6-Enamelling and firing
Enameling is essential to coat the porous biscuit porcelain and give them their final finish, either glossy or semi-glossy. The composition of enamel, which is close to glass, allows the colors to develop and enhances the decorations. Firing of enameled pieces can take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours at a maximum of 1060°C. This process provides Gien earthenware pieces with the best guarantee to protect them while being washed in a diswasher.
