The Boch manufacture was established in Belgian La Louvière by Jean-François Boch, one of main owners of another known company, Villeroy & Boch. The direction of Boch Freres SNC was in 1844 taken by Victor Boch. Production could be started immediately thanks to other Boch family ceramic businesses that sold Victor ready-to-use copperplates.
This faience manufacture developed very fast. In 1847 the company won a gold medal at the exhibition of the Belgian industry. In 1855 they already employeed 300 workers in La Louvière (Keramis) and 100 in Tournai (Boch Freres) factory. Around 1860 the production of polychrome pieces was started. In 1904 the first in Europe tunnel kiln was launched.
Problems started in 1970s. The company went bankrupt in 1985 and was reactivated as Novoboch and MRL Boch. In 2015 was started Keramis Center, just two rooms showing Royal Boch history.
One of the most important designers for Boch Frères Keramis was Charles Catteau. He was French but in 1906 moved to La Louvière. Patterns designed by Catteau were created in following years:
Pattern number | Year created |
D001 - D599 | 1920 or earlier |
D600 - D669 | 1921 |
D670 - D699 | 1922 |
D700 - D819 | 1923 |
D820 - D899 | 1924 |
D900 - D1029 | 1925 |
D1030 - D1099 | 1926 |
D1100 - D1199 | 1927 |
D1200 - D1299 | 1928 |
D1300 - D1399 | 1929 |
D1400 - D1549 | 1930 |
D1550 - D1699 | 1931 |
D1700 - D1849 | 1932 |
D1850 - D1909 | 1933 |
D1910 - D1929 | 1934 |
D1930 - D1969 | 1935 |
D1970 - D2099 | 1936 |
D2100 - D2499 | 1937 - 1939 |
> D2500 | 1940 or later |