Chantilly porcelain
| Company type | Manufactory |
|---|---|
| Industry | Ceramics, Porcelain manufacturing |
| Founded | March 1730 |
| Founder | Louis Henri de Bourbon, prince de Condé |
| Defunct | 1800 |
| Headquarters | Chantilly, Oise , France |
| Products | Soft-paste porcelain tableware, tea sets, vases, figurines |
Chantilly porcelain refers to the French soft-paste porcelain crafted from 1730 until 1800 at the Chantilly manufactory located in Oise, France. This production is commonly categorized into three distinct phases: 1730–1751, 1751–1760, and a gradual decline leading up to 1800.
The manufactory focused on creating tableware and tea sets, along with small vases and figurines, predominantly featuring Oriental themes.
Foundation
In March 1730, Louis Henri de Bourbon, prince de Condé—an exiled prince of royal blood—acquired outbuildings near the river Nonette, adjacent to the expansive grounds of the château de Chantilly, where he established the porcelain factory. Launching such a manufactory demanded considerable investment, making aristocratic sponsorship vital. The refined products from Chantilly sought to rival other French soft-paste porcelain makers like Saint-Cloud porcelain and Mennecy, as well as imported Chinese porcelains and Meissen porcelain.
Unlike the hard-paste porcelain produced at Meissen, the Chantilly factory did not incorporate kaolin in its porcelain mixture.
First period: Chinese and Japanese influences (1725–1751)
Prince de Condé’s passion for East Asian porcelains deeply influenced Chantilly’s initial creations, which drew heavily on Arita porcelain, particularly the "Kakiemon" style characterized by soft iron red and blue-green hues. The manufactory produced decorative vases and chimney figurines known as "magots," along with practical items such as rococo-style teapots, creamers, coffee sets ("cabarets"), covered tureens, bourdaloues, plates, cups, as well as porcelain flowers used in chandeliers and knife handles.
In 1735, a patent issued by Louis XV authorized the manufacture of porcelain façon de Japon ("imitating Japanese porcelain"), following a decade of experimentation led by manager Ciquaire Cirou (c.1700–1751). Early pieces were coated with an opaque tin glaze resembling faience to achieve a white surface; later works employed a slightly yellowish transparent lead glaze.
After Prince de Condé’s passing in 1740, the factory became financially independent but scaled back its ambitions. Under Cirou’s direction until 1751, Chantilly produced its most iconic porcelains, highly prized by collectors in the 19th century—so much so that firms like Edme Samson later created forgeries mimicking the unique underglaze hunting horn mark of the factory.
Intermediate period (1751–1760)
During this time, artisans from Chantilly moved to Vincennes, where they began producing porcelain that eventually received royal endorsement at Sèvres. This factory came to dominate France’s high-quality porcelain market. In 1752, letters patent granted Vincennes exclusive rights to polychrome decoration, which further restricted Chantilly’s market share.
Late period (1760–1800)
Following its 1781 sale by Dame Adam, the Chantilly manufactory experienced decline due to competition from Sèvres in luxury goods and from Wedgwood creamware in tableware after the Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1788. Englishman Christopher Potter took over management during the early years of the French Revolution (1792), establishing two separate manufactories in 1792 and 1795 before the Chantilly operation ultimately ceased production in 1800.