$ 30.00
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Dating to approximately 1875, Alsace Schoolhouse 1875 is a lot of reclaimed French terra cotta flooring salvaged from a historic schoolhouse in Alsace, France.
The handmade square tiles measure approximately 6⅜" x 6⅜" x 1" thick, with the substantial thickness, irregular edges and gently worn surfaces characteristic of 19th-century French terra cotta flooring.
Alsace has a long tradition of working with clay for architectural purposes. Clay-rich soils supported generations of potters, brickmakers and tile makers who supplied durable fired-earth materials for the region's houses, farms and civic buildings. The natural variations of traditional clay combined with historic firing methods produced floors with considerably more nuance than modern, uniformly manufactured terra cotta.
This particular lot has a beautiful warm, earthy palette ranging from old brick red and faded rose to salmon, soft terracotta, muted ochre and occasional deeper red-brown tones. Subtle firing variations, mineral inclusions and darker markings appear throughout the floor, while approximately 150 years of use have softened the original surfaces and edges.
What makes this lot especially compelling is its provenance. The tiles were salvaged from an old French schoolhouse, where terra cotta flooring extended beyond a single room. Tiles were found throughout the building, including the kitchen and salon as well as rooms on both the first and second floors.
That history gives the material an architectural character quite different from terra cotta reclaimed from a single farmhouse kitchen. This was flooring intended to withstand the daily life of an entire building—footsteps moving through rooms, stairs and corridors, generations passing across the same handmade clay surfaces.
Today, that history remains visible in the subtle differences from tile to tile. Worn faces, softened corners, small pits, mineral inclusions, firing marks and variations in color are inherent characteristics of authentic reclaimed terra cotta rather than imperfections.
Installed together, Alsace Schoolhouse 1875 creates a richly varied antique floor of warm reds, faded rose, salmon and earthy ochre—a surface whose color, texture and patina could only have developed through handmade production and approximately a century and a half of use.
For interiors combining historic materials, Alsace Schoolhouse 1875 Reclaimed French Terra Cotta pairs beautifully with our Blackheath Antiqued French Oak Flooring, whose deep, old-black finish creates a dramatic counterpoint to the terra cotta’s faded rose, brick red, salmon and earthy ochre tones.
Dimensions: Approximately 6⅜" x 6⅜" x 1" thick
Material: Reclaimed handmade French terra cotta
Region: Alsace, France
Age: Approximately 150 years / circa 1875
Salvage: Historic French schoolhouse
Original locations: Kitchen, salon, first and second floors
Format: Square
Condition: Antique reclaimed
In-Stock Lot: 973 SF
Recommended Sealer after Installation: Akemi Stone Impregnation for French Reclaimed Terra Cotta Tile Flooring
Cleaning and Maintenance: Vacuum, then clean with Black Soap (Savon Noir) to disinfect, maintain, protect and enhance patina.
