Description:
Rare and unusual rope twist pattern black Baccarat France towel hanger with acorn and foliate bronze mounts with remnants of the original paper label. This piece would make a superb addition to any fine household or collection. ****NOTE: Email for larger images.
Background: Baccarat was a castellany in the Lorraine region owned by the Lord Bishop of Metz. A castellany was "an ensemble of lands belonging to a governor and under his jurisdiction". The land had too much silica in it's soil to be good for growing wheat, but it did have access to vast forests that could be utilized for fuel. As a result, the decision to open a glass producing factory was a natural one.
The founding of an industry in France at the time required authorization from the king. Lord Bishop Metz made the proposal to Louis XV in 1764. One of the things said to the King was that since France produced no art glass, French people were spending too much of their money on Bohemian glass. A domestic product made good economic sense and would create jobs for factory workers, woodcutters, etc... The king signed the necessary patent letters to allow for the factory in early 1765. The factory was built on the banks of the Meurthe River to enable transportation to and from the factory. It stands in the same place to this day.
Three partners went in together in ownership/management of the new factory, a highly skilled glassmaker, a financier and the Bishop himself who managed the factory. Baccarat originally produced windowpanes, mirrors and stemware. In 1816 the first "crystal" was produced. (The addition of lead to the ingredients in glass was first done by an Englishman in the 17th century.) Around 1838 colored glass was introduced by Baccarat.
Living quarters for seventy employees and their families were built within the factory compound because the melting point of the materials came at unpredictable times and workers might be summoned to work at anytime. This necessary communal situation became a tradition at Baccarat and continues today.
Although wars came, business suffered and ownership changed hands a number of times over the years, the management of Baccarat embraced technology and practices early on that would make the work environment safer and more comfortable for workers. This in turn made the workforce more efficient. In addition to housing, workers have enjoyed many amazing social advantages from a very early time. There has been free medical assistance since 1827, a contingency fund since 1835, and pension funds since 1850!
The company began funding a boarding school for young apprentices in 1859 and offered unemployment compensation in 1860. These improvements for workers came at a time historically associated with brutally unstable working conditions and no coverage for sickness, old age or unemployment. The Baccarat factory was perceived politically as "paternal" and unconventional. The policies at Baccarat were, of course, motivated by efficiency since the company relied on a very highly skilled workforce in order to consistently produce a very high quality product.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Baccarat's reputation became much better known throughout France due to participation in major exhibitions. Gifts to heads of state and orders from royalty led to the even further admiration and success for the company all over the world. Very wealthy Russians and Indians became a very important part of the Baccarat clientele in the later 19th century.
In 1860 the current Baccarat logo was created and pieces began to be marked with a label. In 1936 the logo began to be acid etched on pieces. Some older pressed pieces have the word Baccarat molded into the piece in block letters.
Baccarat has endured political revolutions and wars. Each time the factory was on the brink of bankruptcy, the intelligence of the managers, the fidelity of the personnel and the sense of solidarity enabled the factory to continue.
A portion of the factory became a military hospital during WWI. Production never completely stopped; instead, the factory manufactured miners lamps. During WWII the factory was transformed into a prison camp and many workers were sent to Germany for Obligatory Work Service, so needless to say the factory did stop producing at that time.
Production started up again right after the occupation. Since WW 2, the factory has undergone major technical improvements and transformations. The tradition of social progress continued at Baccarat like the continued production of their extremely high quality crystal.
A retail store was opened in NY in 1948. Now, the USA and Japan are the biggest consumers of the fine crystal. Today Baccarat manufactures stemware, barware, giftware, perfume bottles, furniture, jewelry and lighting.
Backgroung provided by the edish web site.
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