Gaspard Robert
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Gaspard Robert first worked in a porcelain factory, and then returned to Marseille in 1750.
Robert operated a factory from about 1750 to 1793.[1] He collaborated with André Estieu, whom his mother had married after being widowed. He took over from 1761, and led the pottery into a prodigious expansion. Married to Marguerite Defléchis, he did not have children and devoted himself entirely to his profession. Receiving numerous disciples, he was constantly expanding. In 1773 he teamed up with John Jacob Dortu from Berlin for the production of porcelain. This production was mainly a range of small objects for use for snacks between meals or for parts of a service.
In 1777 Joseph Gaspard Robert was visited by the Count of Provence, later Louis XVIII, who found that he was busily engaged in manufacturing porcelain. His work included large vases decorated with relief work and bouquets of flowers. Entire sets of tableware were being ordered for shipment abroad.[2] His factory exported to Northern Europe and England, where his links with Freemasonry opened opportunities for him. In 1789, he was elected deputy to represent the potters. Faced with the economic crisis of the time, he was forced to cease operations in 1794.
