The Pierrefonds factory was a French ceramics manufacturer established in 1903 in Pierrefonds, France.
It was initially founded by Count Olivier de Sorra.
The factory's excellence was recognized with a silver medal at the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs de Paris in 1925, solidifying its reputation as a luxury manufacturer.
The factory began to flourish under the direction of Émile Bouillon, a sculptor from Lorraine, who joined in 1912 and eventually took control of the company in 1937.
Pierrefonds specialized in high-quality stoneware. They were particularly renowned for their exquisite crystalline glazes, often in shades of light to medium blue, sometimes contrasted with ocher or green. Deep blue was a rarer color. These unique glazes were the result of complex chemical processes involving enamels and zinc.
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Style Art Deco
"The name Art Deco was assigned in the 1960s, at the exhibition "Les Années 25" held in Paris at the Museum of Decorative Arts.
The first pieces could be seen at the International Exhibition of "Decorative Arts and Modern Industry" held in Paris in 1925. This exhibition was a direct response to the Turin exhibitions of 1902 and Milan of 1906.
The Art Deco style emerged between 1920 and 1940 and is represented by symmetrical, rectilinear lines, abstract designs, and bold colors.
It featured the implementation of exotic materials such as parchment, shagreen (the skin of a small shark or ray), chrome pieces, and enamels, as well as ivory and mother-of-pearl inlays.
In contrast, Art Nouveau was more focused on asymmetrical, curved lines inspired by nature."
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