Beauceware Beauce cb Pottery - 5th in Canadiana Series

Syndicat des Ceramistes Paysans de la Beauce (Beauceware) / Ceramique de Beauce (cb) - Pottery - Fifth in Canadiana Series

Formed in 1939, but officially founded in 1940 Syndicat des Ceramistes Paysans de la Beauce (Beauceware) began as a venture to maintain the presence of the farming community of Beauce County Quebec Canada.  In order to prevent the rural migration of young tradesmen to industrial centres in the lean winter months, a school of ceramics was developed, and 33 farmer's sons originally signed up.  After 3 years of specialized training, 12 of the sons decided to pursue ceramics as a full-time occupation. Beauceware was born!

The early designs between 1940 to 1950 used locally sourced red clay and were often unsigned and rustic.  Soon demand outstripped the availability of the red clay and in 1948 Beauce began importing fine white clay from Georgia, USA.  Mold or shape numbers used consecutively, began to be incised/embossed on the base of pieces in the 1950's, and the tradename "Beauceware" was registered in 1946.  These numbers don't really help to date a piece if the shape was used for many years.

Example of a Beauceware Mug or Stein with simple base markings, made from white clay, likely dating to the late 1950's to early 1960's.

For more details on the mug, please click HERE 

A vacant shoe factory became the home of the potters in 1943, located in St-Joseph, Beauce County, Quebec Canada.  Here they stayed until a fire destroyed the factory in 1974 but by now Beauce was the largest ceramics company in Canada, employing 135, so a new factory was built on the site and reopened in 1975, with modern mass production technology installed.

In the 1960's Beauce was exporting many of their ceramics so they changed to a more "English language friendly" corporate name Ceramique de Beauce in 1965 and a new logo "cb" was designed by Andre Roy. "cb" was then used on every piece until the factory closed in 1989.

The 1960's saw many new dramatic glaze effects.  Colours were splashed, dripped, swirled or trailed over the body of pieces.  Tableware was always the mainstay of Beauce and with Expo 67, held in Montreal, Quebec, the ceramics industry in Canada began to produce fondue sets, escargot dishes, onion soup bowls, casseroles etc to reflect the demand of a modern marketplace and Beauce was no exception.  For Expo, Beauce also issued lamp bases, mural plates and promo items for the fair.

Starting to dabble in odd glaze treatments, but not quite at the time when elaborate glazes and treatments began.  This c1950's large ashtray has a mottled treatment in dark green on gold.

For more details on the ashtray, please click HERE







Note the base markings, with "Quebec" rather than the town or country.

Onion Soup Bowl by Beauce. Note both "BEAUCE" and "cb" logo Embossed on the base, along with the model/shape number so this bowl could be earlier in the logo transition process, but definitely late 1960's AFTER Expo 67.  The glaze colours used are similar to the ashtray shown above.

For more details on the onion soup bowls, please click HERE 

A key designer Jacques Garnier joined Beauce in 1963 and introduced a Scandinavian flavour to some Beauce styles.  Jean Carier joined Beauce in 1970 till 1974 and these designs (some of them signed by the designer) are among the most sought after of Beauce products, however, ANY designer signed pieces are far more difficult to find and highly collectible!

Example of a "cb" logo Designer Signed Coffee Pot and Creamer signed by MIKOR

Signature is difficult to make out due to being under the glazing process and partly obscured.

For more details on the Creamer Jug, please click HERE

After 1975 dinnerware sets were issued in both modern and rustic designs. Pieces can vary in size due to the modern tunnel furnace used to fire the pottery.  A few seconds more or less could vary the size of a piece.

A Mod c1970's Coffee Pot, Mug and Creamer Selection, part of the dinnerware craze!  Beauce made use of both a glossy glaze and a semi-matte glaze in their treatment of this design.

For more details on the Coffee Pot, please click HERE 

For more details on the mugs, please click HERE

Note the markings on the coffee pot base; simply the Beauce "cb" logo and "Canada".

Beauceware can be found worldwide due to exports, and many European sites also have information on the Beauce designs.  Keep an eye out for SIGNED pieces on your Treasure Hunts!

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