- Joined
- Jan 2, 2017
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 151
- Points
- 33
- Location
- Belgium
- Website
- www.urbanrelics.be
The entrance to this building was quite spectacular. We had to climb in through a window... on the second floor! Okay, maybe not all that spectacular for some of you, but for someone who's ehm... not good with hights, it took some persuasiveness to get me inside the damn building. But I did it! And boy, am I glad I did! A big plus of these spots with a difficult entrance is that thieves, vandals and spray can wielding imbeciles tend to stay out. Everything that had fallen into disrepair inside the building could be attributed to natural causes and unfortunately that is getting to be something exceptional these days... It made the explore all the more fun and interesting. A little dangerous too. In some places the floors had already collapsed under the immense weight of the shelves with heavy pottery malls. It on't be too long until everything collapses.
A bit of background:
The reputation of the pottery produced here is almost legendary. Over the two centuries that this family business existed, it has generated a host of loyal admirers worldwide. The collection consisted of all kinds of earthenware pieces, such as crockery, vases and flower pots, but also art objects, frescoes and even stoves. The factory was founded in 1790, but initially faced major problems, including difficulties with the supply of raw materials, but also hostility and distrust of the population. In addition, competition from mainly English producers was fierce. Around the turn of the century the factory was taken over by an inventive young German, who quickly managed to turn the tide through the introduction of new decoration techniques and the use of the finest raw materials. Napoleon became one of the primary customers, so the orders quickly came in and the company was forced to expand. The current factory, including this mold storage facility, dates from this period of expansion between 1850 and 1860. During the glory period, the company employed more than 3200 employees. The end of the 1970s marked a turning point. The company was by then taken over by another family, which stopped the production of crockery to focus on the production of tile for walls and floors. In the early 2000s, the business took a turn for the worse and was left with about 100 employees trying to keep the company afloat. Hardly 5 years later, the company goes into liquidation anyay. Shortly afterwards, the court declared bankruptcy and the curtain fell on two centuries of industrial history…
A bit of background:
The reputation of the pottery produced here is almost legendary. Over the two centuries that this family business existed, it has generated a host of loyal admirers worldwide. The collection consisted of all kinds of earthenware pieces, such as crockery, vases and flower pots, but also art objects, frescoes and even stoves. The factory was founded in 1790, but initially faced major problems, including difficulties with the supply of raw materials, but also hostility and distrust of the population. In addition, competition from mainly English producers was fierce. Around the turn of the century the factory was taken over by an inventive young German, who quickly managed to turn the tide through the introduction of new decoration techniques and the use of the finest raw materials. Napoleon became one of the primary customers, so the orders quickly came in and the company was forced to expand. The current factory, including this mold storage facility, dates from this period of expansion between 1850 and 1860. During the glory period, the company employed more than 3200 employees. The end of the 1970s marked a turning point. The company was by then taken over by another family, which stopped the production of crockery to focus on the production of tile for walls and floors. In the early 2000s, the business took a turn for the worse and was left with about 100 employees trying to keep the company afloat. Hardly 5 years later, the company goes into liquidation anyay. Shortly afterwards, the court declared bankruptcy and the curtain fell on two centuries of industrial history…
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