Antoine Dubois (1869 - 1949)

Descended from a line of Belgian ceramists from the Mons region, Antoine and his brother François trained in the trade from 1892 to 1909 in their father's factory, a few kilometers from Mons. The brothers then decided to set up their own earthenware factory in the Brussels suburb of Anderlecht. A fire in the workshops in 1917 decided them to return to Mons, to the region where they were born. In 1919, Antoine founded "Dubois et compagnie", which became "la céramique montoise" in 1925. From then on, production shifted to fantasy subjects and craquelés.

Production was vast, with over 900 models listed, and very eclectic, making vases, fireplace surrounds, clocks, door handles, crockery, etc. Céramique Montoise produced highly recognizable designs, thanks to the creation of a highly accomplished black matte enamel for its art-deco earthenware.

Antoine Dubois collaborated with the Nervia group of artists and made a name for himself producing earthenware molds for these renowned artists. The faience factory employed up to a hundred people during this interwar period.

The time came for the business to be handed down, and Antoine trained his two sons to succeed him, leaving the company to them in 1947 and ending his life in Brussels.

Antoine's departure and the difficult management of the pre- and post-war crisis years led the faience factory to bankruptcy in 1955.