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Rosario Tableware

AN ARTISAN PROCESS OF 19 DAYS AND 10 STEPS

A collection inspired by our mother, named in her honour.

Our Rosario tableware collection, made for Villa Las Perelli, is produced in small quantities in Spain through a traditional and artisanal process that combines the use of the hydraulic press with the manual work of the craftsman. It is composed of different pieces that share a design inspired by the past.

The pieces of the Rosario dinnerware are made for Villa Las Perelli in a family workshop in Spain using white earthenware produced in Manises (Valencia) and formulated in England.

White earthenware pieces and the Villa Las Perelli hallmark that the artisan puts on each piece one by one

PREPARATION OF THE EARTHENWARE

To prepare the earthenware, the air is extracted from the earthenware cakes by introducing them into a kneading machine, thus obtaining blocks of earthenware of different sizes that will be used according to the size of the piece that we want to produce.

FIRST MOULDING

The next step is the moulding of the piece with the hydraulic press.
The craftsman uses the same hydraulic press to make the different pieces, changing the mould for each one. The mould is made up of two parts: the female part is placed at the bottom and the male part at the top. The process of changing the moulds in the press can take up to a day between replacement and cleaning. The artisan carries out this process every time he changes the piece or the type of earthenware.

To obtain the first moulding of the piece, he inserts the piece of earthenware into the female part of the mould. This rises upwards, flattening the piece against the upper part, generating a surplus of earthenware that comes out of the sides (burr) and is removed when the lower piece is lowered. The burr accumulates in a container to be reused (it will be reintroduced in the process described in the first step). The piece of earthenware sticks to the top of the press. At this point, the artisan puts our stamp on the bottom of the piece by hand. He removes it by pressing the pedal that activates the air passage of the compressor, which removes it and lets it fall onto a wooden board that he holds in his hand. This process is repeated numerous times as many times as pieces are produced in the run.

Craftsman removing the excess of the pressed piece (burr) and putting the stamp on it before removing it from the press

DRYING

Once the pieces have been moulded, they are left to dry so that they become more rigid and can be worked with. They are left for two days in a damp drying room. It is important that the pieces do not dry outside the drying room and that they are not near the heat to prevent the piece from cracking.

First shape of the Rosario trays size L, ready to be taken to the drying room

Artisan introducing the trays into the wet dryer for the first drying process

FINISHING AND SMOOTHING

Once the pieces have hardened, the potter smoothes them one by one by hand. He places the piece on a turning wheel that rotates on itself and with a blade he removes the excess earthenware from the edge of the piece. He then smoothes the piece with a damp sponge to make it smooth and finished.

Refinishing area where the potter touches up each piece one by one with a knife, sandpaper and sponge

SECOND DRYING

Once the pieces have been retouched, they are left to dry again, this time in a less humid drying area. The piece remains there for about a week until it is completely dry. This time varies according to the season of the year, taking longer in winter and less in summer.

FIRST BAKING

Once dry, the pieces are placed in the kiln cars. The gas oven is approximately 2 cubic metres in size and reaches a temperature of 1040 degrees. The pieces are baked for 14 hours and then cool for two and a half days. This is how we obtain the baked earthenware pieces ready for glazing.

Pieces after the first baking from tray size L of our Rosario collection.

GLAZING

Before glazing, the pieces are checked one by one for any imperfections. If any piece needs to be touched up, the potter sands the area very smoothly with fine sandpaper and a well-drained sponge.

Once ready to glaze, the potter prepares the glaze mixture with water by stirring with a paddle or whisk to make it liquid. He immerses the piece in glaze holding it with a pair of glazing tongs and holds it for a second or several seconds, depending on the piece. He takes it out and lets it drain a little, and places it on a shelf to let it dry.

The piece takes a few hours to dry. Once dry, the excess glaze is removed from the bottom. This phase is very important because if the part of the piece that is going to rest in the kiln has some glaze on it, the piece will stick to the kiln plate.

SECOND BAKING

Once the glaze has been removed from the bottom, the pieces are put back into the oven, taking great care to ensure that the pieces do not touch each other, otherwise they will stick together. The pieces are fired at 950 degrees for 7 hours. The cooling time is approximately 12 hours.

Each piece of our Rosario dinnerware takes a minimum of 19 days to make and goes through 10 different steps: preparation of the earthenware, placing the moulds in the press, making the pieces in the press, first drying, retouching and smoothing, second drying, first kiln, retouching and glazing, second kiln and last drying.

First molding of the trays with the hydraulic press.

Orfèvrerie Ercuis

Tradition and craftsmanship since 1867

The origins of Ercuis goldsmith's house date back to 1867, when Father Adrien Céleste Pillon, a parish priest in the village of Ercuis, 50km from Paris, founded a religious goldsmith business to make silver- and gold-plated pieces.To finance the business, Pillon set up a local newspaper, which he also used as a means of advertising his creations. However, the business was soon taken over by Léon Durand, the former production manager of the Clichy glassworks, who redirected it towards the art of the table. In 1880, they opened their first shop in Paris.In 1886, Ercuis goldsmiths signed an agreement with the producer George Maës, adopting his ‘poinçon carré’, the official contrast in France for silver-plated metal, represented by a centaur, which has become the symbol of the firm to this day. The Maës family spearheaded the growth and expansion of the house for three generations.Throughout the 20th century, the house gained prestige and recognition, participating in various Universal Exhibitions, equipping the great hotels of the Côte d'Azur, the Côte Basque and Paris such as the Pavillon Henri IV, and receiving important commissions such as the silver-plated pieces for the ocean liner ‘Le France’ or for the Orient Express.From 1980s onwards, the company became a public limited company and changed hands several times. Today, the brand is owned by the Italian group Sambonet. Ercuis hallmarksThe Ercuis pieces bear at least two hallmarks: the goldsmith's mark and the quality hallmark. - The goldsmith's mark is represented by the inscription ‘ERCUIS’.- The hallmark may be represented by the ‘poinçon carré’, the official French contrast for ‘metal argenté’, or by indicating the percentage of silver with each number in a square. The Ercuis ‘poinçon carré’ includes a centaur with the initials ‘OE’ identifying the house, and the indication of quality in Roman numerals: I or II, depending on the microns of silver in the piece. The high quality of the silver plating applied to their pieces makes them of superior value on the antique market.

Antigua Roma, Felipe V y el roscón de Reyes

Ancient Rome, Felipe V and the Roscón de Reyes

Origin of the Spanish Christmas sweet of Epiphany

Roscón de Reyes is a Spanish gastronomic tradition of this period of the year. It is common practice in all homes to eat Roscón on 6 January, the day on which the adoration of Jesus by the Three Wise Men is celebrated. The origin of this tradition dates back to the Roman Saturnalia, festivities which were celebrated in Ancient Rome in honour of Saturn, God of agriculture, on the occasion of the onset of the winter solstice, which brought longer days and the end of the winter sowing season, which allowed slaves to rest for a few days. A public banquet was held and Roman citizens exchanged gifts. Each year, a round cake was made with figs, dates and honey in which was hidden a fava bean, a symbol of prosperity, which gave the title of «King of Kings» to the slave who was given it, allowing him to be free during the Saturnalia. In the 4th century, when Christianity became the official religion of the Empire, these festivals were gradually replaced by Christian celebrations. The tradition became less important except in France, where the Roi de Fave (King of the Bean) was celebrated. To celebrate Epiphany, each village gave a sweet bun to the poorest children and whoever found the bean received gifts and privileges. In the 18th century, Louis XV included a gold coin which meant that no one wanted the bean, and finding it was no longer a prize. It was Philip V who introduced this tradition in Spain, maintaining the duality between reward and punishment. Later the coin was replaced by a figurine and the person who found the bean had to pay for the roscón. We share the value of the tradition. The beauty of the customs makes us enjoy our time around the table.

Maison Christofle

A savoir-faire that endures

In 1830, the jeweller Charles Christofle, following the family trade specialising in precious metals, founded the maison that still bears his name today. Two years later, he registered his goldsmith's stamp with the Office de Garantie in Paris for the manufacture of gold pieces. Later, in 1842, he bought the patents for electrolytic silver and gold plating from the Frenchman Henri de Ruolz, focusing his business on the manufacture of silver-plated metal pieces. Christofle gained national and international recognition when it became the ‘Emperor's supplier’. In 1852, Napoleon III commissioned silverware for receptions at the Tuileries Palace. A service for a 50-metre-long table comprising 4,000 pieces and a ‘surtout’, a common centrepiece at the time that included sculptures, a salt and pepper shaker, a candlestick, a vase, etc. This was designed by the renowned sculptor François Gilbert, was made up of 121 pieces and was 3 metres long. The pieces were burnt in a fire at the palace in 1871. However, some were rescued from the ashes and are now on display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. A decade later, in 1862, the Emperor appointed Charles Christofle an Officer of the Legion of Honour after the house won a medal at the Universal Exhibition in London. After the death of the founder in 1863, he was succeeded by his son Paul, and his nephew Henri Bouilhet, who maintained the spirit and principles of Christofle. The Maison continued to grow in success and received major commissions, such as the silver-plated pieces for the Ritz Hotel in Paris, the Orient Express and the Concorde. Over the years, Maison Christofle has adapted to the different needs and trends of society. Today, it continues to innovate and revolutionise the art of goldsmithing. Maison Christofle hallmarks Christofle pieces bear at least two hallmarks: the goldsmith's mark and the hallmark of quality. - The goldsmith's mark is represented by a balance with the initials ‘OC’ (Orfèvrerie Christofle). - The hallmark may be represented by the ‘poinçon carré’, the official French contrast for ‘metal argenté’, or by indicating the percentage of silver with each number in a square. Christofle's ‘poinçon carré’ includes a chess knight with the initials ‘OC’ identifying the house, and the indication of quality in Roman numerals: I or II, depending on the microns of silver in the piece. Christofle pieces usually bear a third hallmark with the inscription ‘CHRISTOFLE’ within a rectangle, which facilitates their identification. The high quality of the silver plating applied to their pieces makes them of superior value on the antique market.

Thanksgiving

Origin and tradition of the celebration

Thanksgiving is one of the most important celebrations of the year in the United States. A special day when family and friends gather around the table to celebrate gratitude.The origin of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621, when English settlers and the Wampanoag tribe held a feast as a sign of thanks for the autumn harvest. The first year in the ‘New World’ had been hard, and the Indians had been crucial in helping them learn farming and hunting techniques. The feast lasted three consecutive days and was held in Plymouth (now Massachusetts).From then on, thanksgiving feasts were celebrated in different communities over the years. In the 19th century, during the Civil War, Republican President Abraham Lincoln decided to declare Thanksgiving Day a bank holiday in 1863, celebrated thereafter on the last Thursday of November. In 1939, as the last Thursday of the month was the 30th, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to move Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday in November in order to add an extra week of Christmas shopping and give the economy a boost. This caused an uproar and citizens protested, calling it ‘Franksgiving’. However, this change was only in effect for two years until 1941, when Congress approved the return of the holiday to the fourth Thursday in November.The traditional Thanksgiving meal is turkey with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Although it has not been proven with certainty that turkey was eaten at the 1621 feast, it is said to have been chosen because of its larger size compared to chickens, ducks and geese, ideal for serving at a large meal. We share the beauty of the moments around the table, the way of turning every meal into a special moment, the love in the small details.

Rosario Tableware

AN ARTISAN PROCESS OF 19 DAYS AND 10 STEPS

Rosario

LARGE OVAL PLATES MADE OF HANDMADE EARTHENWARE