French Faience Inkstand – Choisy-le-Roi

French Faience art pottery inkstand marked “H.B. & Cie, Choisy Le Roi” and a fancy “B” mark.

Choisy-le-Roi / H. Boulenger & Cie Pottery: A Brief History

The Choisy-le-Roi pottery factory, located in the Val-de-Marne department near Paris, has a rich history dating back to 1804. Initially producing faience pottery, it later expanded to include white earthenware and porcelain.

In 1863, Hippolyte Boulenger took ownership of the factory and renamed it “H. Boulenger & Cie.” Under his leadership, the factory flourished, employing 300 skilled workers and gaining international acclaim.

As a result of the Franco-Prussia War, Sarreguemines, Choisy-le-Roi’s French principal competitor, located in Alsace Lorraine, became part of Germany. Sarreguemines workers who rejected German nationality sought employment with Choisy-le-Roi. Their technical knowledge helped Boulenger produce the finest French majolica which received international acclaim at the 1878 Paris Exhibition.

When Hippolyte died in 1892, he was succeeded by his two sons.

In 1920, H. Boulenger bought Creil-Montereau’s faience manufacturing facilities, renaming the company H. B. C. M. (Hippolyte Boulenger, Creil, Montererau). A disastrous 1934 strike in Choisy-le-Roi ended production there. Production continued in Monereau until 1965. The Choisy-le-Roi factory was destroyed by fire in 1952.