Page 11 - BBR magazine 140 - 30yrs issue

Far left: Both sides of a Colmans glass, metal rim, jar with multi-coloured coat of arms to rear. Left: Spode Colmans jar
with predominently yellow image of a large mustard box.
Right: ‘Colmans Hotel Mustard, large 9lb wood drum.
enamel signs and show cards, the
advertising department he set up in the
1870s.
J. & J. Colman of Norwich, offered,
between the 1870s and World War I, 15
varieties of dry mustard, including four qualities - Double Superfine (often abbreviated to DSF), Superfine, Fine and Seconds-and had several different “types” such as Genuine, Fine Aromatic, London, and “the humblest grade of the Colman range, the Durham quality. Mustard can be legitimately flavoured with tarragon, garlic, herbs, paprika and citrus fruit and used in sauces and condiments and Horseradish is sometimes used to make a ‘mustard’.
France
Also
introduced
by the
Romans,
French
mustard
makers
include
Naigeon
who were making prepared mustard from 1703, first Francois then his son Jean-Baptiste but in 1756 they started making it with unripe grape juice. A grandson continued the firm at Rue St Jean until it was taken over by Fremiet in 1808 then Piron, Pierrot and Bizouard. Until 1853 mustard seed was ground in hand mills but Maurice Grey invented a steam mill to grind it. He had taken over the very old firm of Demartlet (founded as Forey in 1769) and in 1866 was granted a royal warrant and was joined in partnership with Auguste Poupon. There are tin glaze Delft drug jars about with ‘Grey Poupon / 1777’ and ‘Mou- tarde / Dedi - jon’ that suggest the partnership is older but don’t be fooled these are not old pots. On the transfer printed pots look out for ‘GREY’ or ‘GREY / ATE POPON Sr A DIJON’ and a less elaborate banner surround (pre 1866 with potters mark for L M & co / Creil et Montereau); ‘GREY-POUPON’ wording indicates after 1866.
Grey Poupon was eventually taken over by another famous name: Maille. Originally a Marseille distiller, Antoine Maille sold his own blend of vinegar in the street to the people of his hometown when the plague of 1723 hit the South of France: antiseptic vinegar was thought to help. By 1747 had a
Above: ‘Colman’s/ D S F/ Mustard’ enamel sign.
Right: 2012 April lot 265 Extremely rare (as featured on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ enamelled ‘Colman’s/ Mustard/ Barnsley/ Winners 1912/ English Cup’ vesta case. Sold in April 2012 by BBR
for £500.
L to R, far L: ‘Bocguet’ all white mustard pot with detailed black
transfer (this example with portion of paper label to rear). L centre: Shapely ‘Moutarde Diaphane/ Bordeaux pot with blue transfer. L: Grey / Fabricant de Moutarde/ Dijon pot, various medals within the transfer, c. 1855.
shop on Rue St André des Arts in Paris selling vinegars and mustard and became an appointed supplier to monarchs all over Europe. In 1821, his son Antoine-Claude took over the family business and in 1845
Maille opened a new boutique in Dijon’s Rue de la Liberté. They took over Le Comte (est 1745) in 1769 except for a 2 year buy-out (1800-2 by
André-Arnoult Acloque) continued in business, dominating the 19th century
Rue Simon le France then Rue Saint Martin. Boudin invented Champagne Mustard in 1803 and Imériale in 1805. A smaller firm of Bornibus arrived in Paris from Burgundy in the mid 1800s and there were others elsewhere in France. If you fancy it then Musee de la Moutarde Amora, in Dijon, might be worth a trip. Amora is a name found on 20th century mustard dispensers and
began in the early 1900’s.
market it along with Francois Bordin at
Above: Amora showcard & below ‘Amora’ pot with world map all round.
Above L to R: Crudely potted ‘Maille/ rue Violet/ 50/ Paris’ pot. Centre: Elaborately transferred ‘Moutarde De Bordin/ De Paris. Right: Angels either side of transfer ‘Bornibus/ Paris’, below central trade mark ‘Brevete/ SGDG/ Moutarde De Dijon.’
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