Our History

In the beginning

  • 1848

    The discovery

    A young potter, Jaques Henry discovered the world of ceramics in a small workshop in Marcigny, a village in his native Burgundy. He developped a real passion for the art of Earth and Fire.

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    The Marcigny key
    The Market place in Marcigny
    Jacques Henry
  • 1850

    On the road

    When he was 20, he took off for a year with his 'National passport', and travelled the roads of France to meet other, more experienced, potters. He wanted to learn from other people's experience and develop his savoir-faire as a ceramist. After one year, his dream became possible : offer the best and most beautiful pottery to the homes of his native Burgundy.

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    National passport
  • 1870

    The first workshop

    Jugs, terrines and soup tureens came to life in his hands, and in a few years he created a workforce of around 20 people. Jacques passed on to his son Paul a workshop which had a rich savoir-faire and was full of passion.

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    The factory entrance
    The first workshop
    Jacques Henry
  • 1900

    Conquering Paris

    Paul shared his father's passion and quickly exported his creations to Paris. Customers were enthusiastic, and pottery from La Maison Henry were soon to be found on all the best Parisian tables.

    Letterhead, export to Paris
  • 1911

    The Ruffled pie dish

    The Ruffled pie dish designed by Paul was a great success, with its smooth lines and attractive shape : it soon became the symbol of the Company.

    Catalogue from 1919
  • 1922

    A strong workforce

    The workshop suffered during the two World wars, due to the lack of labour. Paul's son, Emile, returned from the war in 1922 determined to get the workshop and its workforce back on its feet.

    The workshop team
  • 1955

    Expansion

    An Artisan engineer in a rapidly expanding company, Maurice set about modernising the production techniques, while retaining the authenticity of the handcrafting skills. Along with his son Jacques, they wanted to offer each home the possibility to cook in highly resistant, attractive ceramic made using new technologies.

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    An old advert

Expansion

  • 1982

    A tribute

    As a tribute to his grandfather, Jacques changed the name of the company to Emile Henry, as a symbol of the passion which has been handed down from generation to generation, a passion for Earth and Fire and a continuation of authentic values.

    Paul and Emile
  • 1983

    In detail

    Amateur gourmet, Jacques used his training as an engineer to design dishes which made cooking easier, paying attention to details such as the size and weight, adding handles or ridges in the bottom ... Everything is studied in the smallest detail. For this he created an in-house laboratory for Research and Development.

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    Creaton of the laboratory in 1991
  • 1986

    Creating colours

    After much research, the Company created the first colourful dishes for use in the oven. It was a breakthrough for kitchens across the country !

    Advert from the 1980s
  • 1989

    The Pie dish

    The colours helped to attract more and more customers all over the world. Pleasure and Cooking merged and the 'Pie dish' became an icon piece in american kitchens.

    The Pie dish
  • 2005

    Flame ceramic

    The Tagine, designed by Jacques, is born. It became the centrepiece of a new ceramic which was baptised 'Flame'. This was the first ceramic which could be used directly on the flame and all direct modern heat sources.

    The first photo of the very first Emile Henry Tagine
  • 2012

    Made in France

    Jean-Baptiste, Jacques' son, took over the family company and passion with a wish to focus on the fact that the production is 100% made in France, as it always has been.

  • 2014

    The Bread Cloche

    With a wish to encourage and develop homemade cooking and baking, Jean-Baptiste designed the Bread Cloche, which rapidly become another icon piece. Innovative in its simplicity, it uses the same technique as a traditional bread oven to bake delicious loaves.

  • Today

    Today the Company continues more than ever to develop and evolve. We are proud to use our experience of Earth and Fire to help make cooking and baking easier and more pleasureable for households all around the world. We believe in the timeless values of good, homemade food, prepared with love and made to share.

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Nos ateliers

For 6 generations, our teams have handed down the passion for quality ceramic, handmade in our workshops in Burgundy. We are proud to offer our experience of Earth and Fire to create delicious recipes full of flavour.

Inspired by colour

Our palette of 7 colours finds its inspiration in our history, our desires and our dreams. Most of our inspiration comes from the love of ceramics, mastering both earth and fire. Burgundy, inspiring with its gastronomy and its fine wines. The French way of life, taking our time to prepare and cook a delicious homemade meal to treat your loved ones. All these wonderful and authentic images are bathed in subtle shades of colour, which we are proud to present.

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  • Silex

    A deep, yet luminescent grey with touches of green, Flint conveys a subtle elegance and timelessness. It works well on its own but also adds warmth to very minimalist environments, or tones down very colourful settings.

  • Clay

    Soft and natural, Clay pays tribute to our primary raw materials, found at the very heart of the Earth. A close ally for over 160 years, clay nevertheless remains inconsistent, requiring experience from our artisans and a savoir-faire which have been handed down from generation to generation. Known for its virtues in heat diffusion, our clay brings out the authentic flavours of a recipe and its colour conveys the natural aspect of ceramic.

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  • Brick

    The orangey-red, tinted with vivid brown, reminds us of our roots, of our first kilns dating back to the 19th Century which were built entirely of bricks. It’s also the colour of the walls of our first workshops in Marcigny, which are still in place today surrounded by our modern buildings. A warm, intense colour, Brick inspires us with its intemporality and modernity.

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  • Oak

    A noble and ancient material, oak reveals unique and inspiring tones. Rough, it asserts it character and strength. Smooth, it becomes elegant and discreet. In our homes, it’s something we like to touch and contemplate. And on our ceramic, the slight variations in colour bring a stunning vibrancy, ranging from blond to copper.

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  • Flour

    Flour is a warm, natural white. This delicate white, created by the miller when grinding his wheat, comes directly from nature and is essential to so many recipes … from bechamel sauce to tarts and bread. Its simplicity, pureness and infinite possibilities make it an exceptional ‘colour’.

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  • Burgundy

    It is dazzling but unobtrusive, bright but humble. The result of much research, this colour is a tribute to our Burgundy origins : luxurious, generous and subtle, where conviviality and taking your time are anchored in our way of life.

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  • Charcoal

    Charcoal is a dark grey with a mysterious shine. The colour of inspiration, it’s the lead in the pencil which brushes against paper and creates the first lines of a new product. Intense but precise, the lines become the perfect drawing of an elegant but technical product, which will guarantee the best results in the kitchen.

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  • Blue Flame

    A subtle variation of the flame, Blue Flame is an intense blue with golden highlights. Since the beginning of time, we have cooked on a low heat, creating delicious recipes for our loved ones which reflect the time spent preparing them. This low flame also reminds us of the experience acquired over the years to master the subtleties of each recipe.

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