Cristallerie De Vonêche (Factory)

Crystal factory in the region of Namur, Belgium. Founded by P.N. Mathys and some others around 1777. Initially, the factory was only specialized in producing glass. When the factory was bought by the Frenchman Henri d’ Artigues in 1802, it began fabricating crystal and flint glass. Success was immediate and before 1815 Vonèche had become the most important factory for the production of crystal in the French Empire. As the crystal industry was heavily affected due to the loss of the French market after 1815, the Cristallerie de Vonèche suffered several years of heavy losses. After 1825 it had to face competition of its own offsprings Val Saint Lambert in Belgium and Baccarat in France. Eventually, the revolutionary disturbances of 1830 delivered the final blow.