L'amour de beaute...(4/12)

Hong Kong is not that bad in a sense, as it is just only not the best in the world. Following the stage at Place Vendome in 2004 to tribute the 200th anniversary of love to the beautified conquer land of Napoleon, the exhibition 'Napoleon in Love' took place in Chaumet Hong Kong at present...
Not be it a small scale exhibition that has discounted the value to watch such display featuring at the Chaumet flagship shop in Central area, but the seriousness and the rarity of exhibiting items that differentiate the exhibition from other similar displays. Chaumet has long been well-known as THE jewellery house for the kings and the nobles, and the collection of the centuries' antique pieces reveals a classic development of jewellery fashion in the previous centuries. As a shadowplay of the history of modernisation, these antique jewellery pieces remark one of the most retro-full sources of nostalgic sentiment us the people long for. The bits and pieces of the exhibits of the mini show lead me to another Paris Calling. La belle epoque!

The (over) song...(12/11)

Nelson is one of the new faces in France who will be releasing their debut album in end November...however, it is their single video that brings a stunning coming of their sound under the beautifully filmed b&w motion picture. Their sound echoes many other new wave bands at present in US and UK, and their drum line picks up a rhythmic resonance of Joy Division's percussion. Like their many band photos and silhouettes, the video of the (over) song was shot monotonically, but the images carry a plus of the French style in avant garde and a feeling of belle époque. Do watch out their revolving doors.

Café Suisse...(7/10)

The café offers a very retro feeling once you enter into it. Old setting of bar tables and counter, historic photos, posters and drawings on every side of the wall in the salon, and more in more, there are aged people staying in with a light set of petit-déjeuner and cafe...actually, the setting is old-style instead of retro, and this kind of old-time set up is not any luxurious decorative arts like the luxurious café in Paris. This is just an old neighbourhood café restaurant. That's all. To be precise, the name of the café is Suisse Café, a.k.a. Café des Arcades, which is situated close to the seaport of Dieppe. The cover of the menu does tell something about the century-long history of the café. It is a café with simple but decent set-up and services, and all it serves is perhaps a relaxing moment with delaying time strings. I was much thinking of the old tea restaurants which share the same style of deco and atmosphere in the old districts in Hong Kong. It was a moment insulated from any trouble and worry. Seeing the art deco posters of retro car competition in Dieppe, you would have some more understanding about the interesting event in town. Well, the old-style dome arches outside the café simply provide a protective gate of preservation to the café. By the way, i was there in a sunny saturday morning.

Vallee de Durolle...(5/10)

It was like a polarised roller-coaster ride, a downward spiral to the deep end of a land of mystery. Never had I any anticipation that an exit of a medieval town could end up discovering a peaceful heritage within the gorges of the valley of Durolle river at Thiers...six hundred years ago, it was the industrial centre of paper production. Consider the natural features at the area with fast-running water of Durolle serving as motion generation for energy and transportation needs, together with rich calcium of the water source fostering paper production, it was logical that intensive industrial development took place in the past. The area evolved with the prosperous development of cutlery production in Thiers to become a fortress with substantial cutlery production in the following centuries. There were knives, scissors and razors exporting from the valley everyday during its era. Human activities keep on generating, and with other establishment of production areas in the country, the valley lost its colour in the revolution. The physical being does maintain its character, and so there are blocks of obsolete industrial sites remaining along the river where I was able to pass by. The names of the factory labelling on the brick facade fade, but the dignity of the building leaves behind. Similar to many urban renewal projects in the world, one of the cutlery factories, Creux de l'enfer, was occupied and adapted to become a contemporary art centre.

Doppelgängers of antipodes...(3/10)

An evening lasted evenly under the flow of the Seine...
A reflection projected the underwater onto the flying bridge. Cars passed by. Lightening the curtain of an opera stage, there were distinct lamps of the good times, independent and silent. It was a paradox, a mirror separated the antipodes. The twilight sang a good era. Caught a star and you felt the warmth of your hands. Turning around, it was the second half of the waltz. It rained, and the rainy air smoked. It was an extension of the dreamy land. I put the enlightenment into the glass of wine. It dissolved.

Ten of the many vieux restaurants, Paris...(9/8)

Gastronomy - this is the privilege of the French, and for me, I am particularly fancy of the old restaurants in Paris, not only because of the quality of food or the history of who ate where and what, but the 'art deco' features and design inside these restaurants, brasseries or cafes depict a very nostalgic image to me about the Parisian culture of the old days...it is always amazing to check out those remaining facade or wall paintings, old photos and decorations, classic staircases or interior structures like the royal ceiling, classic doors or rococo columns inside these eating place. Of course utilities including glamorous lightings, old-fashioned clocks and drawers or historical ventilation fans etc. are all valuable appetizers that you would usually find in the century-aged eating salles. By chance, the above photos are just some views of ten old restaurants I visited in Paris, and all of them preserve their pride and fame since the old days. Not necessarily better than other famous old dining places, these restaurants, however, have collected some piecemeal memory of my dégustation...

Brasserie Lipp - 151 boulevard Saint Germain
La Closerie des Lilas - 171 boulevard du Montparnasse
Restaurant le Fouquet's - 99 av Champs Elysées
Brasserie Terminus Nord - 23 rue de Dunkerque
Brasserie l'Européen - 2 rue de Lyon
Bouillon Chartier - 7 rue du Faubourg
La Taverne - 24 boulevard des Italiens
A la Petite Chaise - 36 rue de Grenelle
Le Roi du Pot au Feu - 34 rue Vignon
Le Procope - 13 rue de l'Ancienne Comedie

Rungis, le Marché...(3/8)

This is another belated piece which I intended to record since last May. I had an occasion to attend a function near Malakoff and it was then I came across the place named Rungis...it did not bring me to special attention until I realised that the place actually plays an important role to Paris and Europe. Let's begin with some basic figures: a market with an area of 232 hectares and serving 18 millions consumers in Europe, out of which two-third is originated within a diameter of 120km from Paris; an annual sales of 7.1 billion euros in 2004; over 1.5 million tones of food products and 36.8 millions flower pots arrived in 2004...one starts to understand the significance of this world second biggest food and beverage wholesale market after the one in Chicago.

Serving the daily basic need of the citizens in a metropolitan, Paris had its scaleable food market since the early Middle Age, and with no surprise, the market was located at the Ile de la Cité, and then relocation of the market took place in response to the continual city development and the enlargement of a food market to cope with the increasing demand of food and beverage in town. It was therefore moved and planted at the site of the existing Hotel de Ville, and then the area near Rue des Petits Champs. After that, the Marché de Champeaux was set up in debut 13th century. The Marché de Champeaux, located at the present Saint Lazare area, was originally an outdoors wheat market. In 1181, the area was used to hold a ‘Saint Lazare Fair’ which gave way to its development as a central gathering area for food and beverage products. Some other consumer items were sold at the area too. The place became an old address of Les Halles after centuries.


The more Paris had been developed, the more complex and sizable the food market was developed and equipped, and the food market at the current Les Halles area gained its fame in the 19th century. The first ‘Pavillon des Halles’ of Les Halles was created under the order of Louis Napoleon in 1853 to develop giant marketplace for the Parisian. Because of the nature of construction where the building structure was made by stones, it was named ‘Fort des Halles’. This version was constructed by the architect named Victor Baltard, and a total of eight Pavilions were erected (in fact, Victor Baltard took part in numerous restoration projects in Paris at that moment including the restoration of Eglise de Saint Germain des-Pres).

A century later, Les Halles, the once-upon-a-time central food market in Paris, lost its attractiveness to consumers after the continual development of metro system and the decentralisation of the city. After all the mode of consumption altered and households could have their shopping in other decentralized small shops and bazaars which located closer to their home. The fresh meat market was detached from Les Halles and established at the area of La Villette. The French government began as well the construction project of 'marché d’intérêt national' in 1964 to delocate food market from centre Paris, and Rungis was chosen to be the new land of taste. It operates as a distribution hub for most of the alimentation products now. Unfortunately, a pass is required to enter the wholesale market and I still lack a chance to go inside the food carnival...people say that there are some good seafood restaurants in the area, and no doubt, I do not query on this.

A detailed history of the development of Rungis market can be found on http://www.rungisinternational.com/pages/fr/presentation/mar_hist.asp.

Printing Spree...(2/8)

Printing was an invention of a century, and surely it has catalysed a turning moment of human history to a prelude of our information society at present...'Communication' has never been the same word as it was in the past since the commercialisation of printing technology. Reviewing the economic and cultural development of France since the 19th century, printing technology carried in fact a very decisive role in the diameter of communication dimension as well as collective social development in the country, particularly in Paris, be it a stabilisation of society or a stipulation to riot and ideological reform. When one understands the number of circulation of newspapers in France in the last decades of the 19th century in France, one could imagine how developed the printing industry was at that moment and how effective the movement was in cultivating the modernism of Paris. Of course, printing was not founded by the French, and there must be more interesting findings on the printing history in those founding countries like China and Germany, but similar to other industries of the good old times, I find it fascinating to trace back some forgotten path of the development in Paris where industries and human activities assured the shinning moment of this focal point of the World at its time.
Having had special attention on the 'other side' of the story when I look at old-time publications, advertising posters, antique books and old maps in the occasions of exhibitions on old Paris or antique bookstores, the mystery of the 'making of’provokes me a lot with the lure to review the old printers in Paris and the French-made printing machine in the 19th century, and finally I got some impulse after visiting the Musée de l'Imprimerie at Nantes recently. The info hereof notes a few Parisian printers and printing machine producers I have encountered in the past few months.

Massiquot - the paper cutting machine invented by Guillaume Massicot and obviously it is a very important component in the printers' daily operation at the time. The antique model I encountered at the Musée de l'Imprimerie was produced at 16 rue Amelot, Paris.

A. Foucher - it should have been a famous brand of printer, but I do not obtain much information about the brand except the two addresses where the machines were produced: 62 Boulevard Jourdan and 18 rue de Varenne. Apparently the printer model does not produce anymore.

E. Ravasse - it was located at 203 rue Lafayette and 61 rue Monmartre, and no information can be found about the brand of the printer.

Lhermite Succrs - it was situated at 208 Faubourg Saint Martin, and again no information can be retrieved.

Poirier Frères - it was a printing house located in the Loire Valley region founded in 1875. It printing included works of Grosse Duperon and in 1894, it released a coloured map of canton of Mayenne under the book 'petite géographie du département de la Mayenne'.


Intertype - this is an amazing machine I found at Musée de l'Imprimerie. It is an adaptation of the US-produced Linotype for editing and printing. The machine was manufactured by Société Intertype owned by Hermann Ridder. Ridder was the editor of 'Gazette de New York' and the machine enabled the printing to be done in France. Similar machines existed such as the Typograph manufactured in UK. As per the demonstrator at the Musee in Nantes, the machine was firstly produced in 1884 but Internet info shows that the machine was primarily released in March 1913. I suspect the person referred to the history of Linotype instead.

Imprimerie LeMercier - the company was a big name of lithographic printing during the late 19th century. I first came across the name of the company from the posters of Alphose Mucha. At the time, the posting of Mucha's posters fully expressed the taste and preference of the Parisian on pop-art and culture of the time. The famous posters with Sarah Bernhardt since 1894 including the theatre plays of Gismonda, La Samaritaine, Médée, Hamlet, Lorenzaccio etc were all printed by LeMercier. Mucha's works were also disseminated through the printing of Imprimerie F. Champenois. The printer was located at 66 Boulevard Saint Michel in the 1900's, and well, the flowing time leaves behind only an identical address of the clinical centres for organisations like Comité National contre Maladies Respiratoires at present. Famed with LeMercier during the Belle Epoque of Paris were there also Chevalier and Gobait who printed artworks of other important artists such as Horace Vernet, Fragonard, Perrot, Daguerre etc.


Marinoni - it is a huge rolling machine used for the printing of large papers including newspaper of Le Petit Journal. On every issue of the Journal, a small line appeared at the right hand bottom on the second last page of the paper, 'imprimé sur la machine rotative chromo-type de MARINONI' and so there is no doubt how influential the machine was during the era. Indeed, Marinoni's printing kingdom began since 1849 when he set up his workshop at rue de Vaugirard. He introduced the gas motor (latterly known as the 'Lenoir Motor') since 1860 and then invented his 'rotative' model in 1867. The machine attracted distinctive focus of spotlights at the World Expo, and 8,000 machines were claimed sold in 1886. He took the position of director of Le Petit Journal since 1883 and introduced colour printing to the Journal in 1889, thus bringing a breakthrough to the Journal and raised the circulation level to a flying height. An interesting document has been compiled by Musée des Arts et Métiers of Paris at
www.arts-et-metiers.net/pdf/carnet_marinoni.pdf.

History does leave its footprint on its printing spree.

Die Eroberung Der Strasse...(1/7)

During my last visit to Germany, I visited the exhibition at Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt...From a German perspective, the exhibition compared the capital of Berlin with the metropolitan of Europe, Paris. Both cities carried a symbolic role in the European history, and the essence of the show is how the reform of the two cities can be resembled to each other. My bias prevails an urban modelling of European metropolitans should be chaired by Paris, especially when we reviewed the reconstruction in the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition focused the mission of Haussmann in the late 19th century in Paris, and has chosen important landmarks including:
- Gare Saint Lazare, the oldest station in Paris;
- Place de l'Opera, the centre of theatre and arts;
- Rue de Rivoli, the widen and elongated road at the heart of the centre;
- Place d'Etoile, the milestone of Paris la grand ville with the star-like intersections extending into the edges of the city, an extension of the centralised-philosophy of Paris in France or Europe in the Belle Epoque;
- Gare d'Orsay, the first station of electric train, and a symbol of the debut 20th century architecture in Paris (see my earlier blog on the architect Victor Laloux);
- Bois de Boulogne, a redesign of the city park by Jean Charles Alphand and a remodelling of the Parisian lifestyle to 'parking' and 'pique-nique';
- Hotel de Ville, all about facade and the beauty of decorative facade, a reconstruction of the municipal structure in 1882 by Theodore Ballu & Jacques Boucher des Perthes.

The exhibition provided an alternative perspective to me about the 1900 World Expo in Paris. I was looking for information about the event for months, and surprisingly some displays and maps showcasing in the exhibition enabled me to have more idea about the preparation and the layout of the Expo. The Expo created not only a full demonstration about the power of nations in debut 1900, but its governmental influence on architecture and infrastructure in Paris formulated a 'new' Paris. Skylines including Tour Effiel, Pont Alexandre, Petit et Grand Palais, Gare d'Orsay, Gare de Lyon etc. recorded a new chapter of the history of the city which can last long.
The exhibition did not really compare in details the urban planning and development of Paris and Berlin, but intentionally putting together the development of landscape and city infrastructure like the drainage system, the public transport system and landmarks, the exhibition is interesting to visitors. There were also advertising posters and drawings of the two city landscapes under impressionists in the old days. I do not know when the above-mentioned city buildings and features became the subjects of painters and artists, but they were right, they captured the spirit of the city, or I should better say, the city in the past. Their works differentiate from the tourist-favourites scenery selling now on Rue Rivoli.

Four corners of Orsay...(13/6)

These are the four corners inside Orsay that are no longer indicative to people inside the building. The four inverted vertex mark the names of Vendome, Nevers, Clermont F. and Monlucon, four destinations of trains that departed from the Gare Orsay a century ago. History remains.

Daum...(8/4)

...et des roses sortaient des eaux, et des esprits sortaient des roses...

Footnotes of Limousin Porcelainers...(3/4)

Due to its resource of kaolin and the "entrepreneur" rituel, Limoges has since the 18th century been the most important porcelain production base in France. During its glorious era, the city contained plenty of established production houses and designers, but the keen competition and the ups and downs of external environment and market demand impacted the industry throughout time. Reviewing the development of the industries and the brand names is an interesting exercise and from the continuous merger, acquisition, rebranding, aggloeration etc of the porcelain companies, it would be a valuable illustration of how the industry has evoluted, and how the porcelain makers adapt to the change to survive...
Some important pocelainers in Limoges since the 18th century: -
1. Aaron & Valin (1771)
2. Artisanal Limoges

I bought some decorative items from their shop. Indeed, the company was set up in 1994 by Joseph Oliviera. More like a retailer and exporter, the company sells whiteware and decorated items, and their production includes miniatues, Limoges boxes, decorative items, and tableware. Around 80% of their business is export-related.
3. Aherenfeldt
4. Bapterose
5. Bernadaud
Another well known Limousin brand. It was founded in 1900, and the successful marketing and business model earned the group a stable and developed turnover.
6. Chastagner
7. Demartial & Taillandier
8. Etienne Baignol
9. Francois Alluaud
10. Francois Pouyat (1754-1838) & Jean Pouyat

Francois Pouyat invested in the Manufacture de la Courtille in Paris since 1800, and he opened a factory in Limoges in 1832 and another design workshop in Saint-Leonard in 1835. With the establishment, the factory developed to be a sizable production unit with 127 workers in 1844. Their design specialised in a whitening porcelain and the whiteware brought a trendy scene to the industry for the following 2 decades. The workshop was sold in 1904 and the factory in 1911, marking an end of the glory history of the brand in the late 19th century.
11. Gibus & Redon
An interesting success story. In 1853, Pierre Justin GIBUS (porcelain technician) set up with two friends Alpinien MARGAINE (designer) and Martial REDON (business development) the "Gibus & Cie". In two years' time, the label was presented at Exposition de Paris with other big names. The factory worked for local pocelain retailers as well as big companies like Haviland. The annual sales of the business exceeded 460 000 francs in 1864. The quality of their work was well acclaimed. Charles HAVILAND noted, "...je fais des efforts désespérés pour que notre production soit aussi bonne que celle de Gibus." The factory was severed impacted by the war between France and Germany in 1870. The thereafter economic depression killed the business. It was taken over and renamed 'Gibus & Redon' in 1872 and retook its position as the fourth largest producer having 250 workers after Haviland, Alluaud & Pouyat in the following decade.
12. Guy Degrenne
13. Haviland AND Gerard Dufraisseix & Abbot (GDA)

This is one of the longlasting Limousin porcelain companies. It began from Charles Field Haviland & Cie in 1870 and acquired the factory of Alluaud in Limoges 4 years later. The group adopted the trademark of CFM / GDM (Gerard, Dufraisseix, and Morel) in 1881. The enlightening colours with better temperature control and variation of desihn brought the mark a recognisable status.
Morel left the group in 1890, and Edgar Abbot joined 10 years later, formulating the Gerard, Dufraisseix & Abbot (GDA). GDA opened its Paris branch in 1902. In 1929 GDA purchased Haviland & Co, and later they sold the operation right to Robert Haviland & C Parlon company its CFH porcelain models as well as the round red decoration mark. This caused both group the right to use the name 'Haviland'. During its mass production era, the factory hired 487 workers in 1926 and an area of 770m3. The company allied with Lanternier in 1960's to share the facilities at Casseaux to form la Société Limousine de Gestion Porcelainière (SLGP). Royal Limoges was adopted as another name of GDA since the 1970's, and it developed to the present Royal Limoges. Also check the article "Royal Limoges" on this blog.
14. Henri Ardant (1828-1883)

15. Jammetseignolles
16. Jean Boyer
Jean Boyer commenced his business in 1920 with a small-scale porcelain factory in Limoges which produced porcelain doll heads. The production line was later turned to more traditional decorative houseware and tableware in the 1920's due to the depression. In 1988, the company was acquired by Haviland.
17. Jouhanneaud & Dubois (created in 1843)
18. Jules Lesme (works from 1852 to 1881)
The maker set up his porcelain factory since 1854 and the factory became Henri Ardant & Cie since 1858. There were 150 workers at that moment. After his death, the factory changed to R. Laport, which was acquired by A. Laternier in 1890. Major products of the factory included biscuit-ware and artware.
19. Lachaniette

20. Lantenier
21. Laporte
22. La Violette (from 1896 to 1905)
23. Legrand
24. Pierre Theraud
25. Raynaud
26. Rene Frugier

According to e-limoges.com, Frugier's porcelain ware was characterised by its high proportion of clay and the technique of 'grand feu' heating up to over 1,400C.
the brand was awared in the Exposition de Paris in 1900 and 1901. In 1910, it was rebranded to l'Aluminite, and brought its fame as producer of lab ware, refractory glass and electronic products during the First World War. L'Alumnite was grouped under Haviland in 1964.
27. Ruaud