G. J. JOURNEL DOMPAIRE COPPER PANS AND POTS
October 25, 2015,
The JOURNEL house is an interesting case for the dating of copper pots.
Information about this supplier of culinary accessories is scarce.
But what little we know is important.
Gilbert Joseph JOURNEL was born on November 2, 1875 in Roanne in the Loire department.
On May 10, 1901, he was found in the department of Meurthe-Et-Moselle, in Lunéville, where he married Louise Marguerite JORIOT. He then exercises the profession of cook.
And then, the couple moved between 1912 and 1921. We find them some 60kms further south, in Begnécourt, in the Vosges department. More precisely, Begnécourt is part of the canton of Dompaire.
At the end of 1928, he died and his wife decided to sell the business at the end of 1929.
So Gilbert Joseph JOURNEL and his wife Louise Marguerite JORIOT were not in Begnécourt before 1912, nor even in Dompaire.
We can then estimate that the widest period of work of the house JOURNEL in Dompaire-Begnécourt as a trader (and not a manufacturer), in accessories for hotel-restaurants, could be from 1912 to 1929. Moreover, it seems although the business does not belong to Gilbert Joseph JOURNEL but to his wife, Louise Marguerite JORIOT.
Once again, a woman is in the spotlight in French culinary boilermaking.
Obviously, we will understand (or not) that the stamping of copper pots is done in the name of JOURNEL, because this profession is mainly made up of men. And at that time, one can easily imagine the difficulties of a woman to negotiate with men! Especially here, we are not in Paris but in a small village at the bottom of the Vosges!
This house has the reputation of having a very good clientele and producing a large turnover. So much for the certainties.
One can imagine a shorter working period for this house. But here this is just an idea that might be plausible:
Louise Marguerite JORIOT is the daughter of a watchmaker. His father died in 1920. One of the sons took over the watchmaking house. Can we imagine that it was Louise Marguerite JORIOT who decided to start the business of accessories for hotel-restaurants? Following an inheritance? After the death of his father?
In this case, the working period of this house would be much shorter!
But let's remain in the certainties, we will therefore keep as a reference: 1912-1921 to 1929.
This can be used to determine the period of distribution of the copper pots stamped JOURNEL in Dompaire. Or over 17 years at most.
For their manufacture, this house being a merchant-trader, one can imagine that some of its copper pots were made before 1912. This depends on the stocks it received.
The only certainty is that the copper pots stamped JOURNEL in Dompaire cannot date after 1929. This is a very good indication!
The copper pots from this house are rare to find. The few models that I had in my hands were still very high end!
To all Copper Lovers !
Regards, T.J.
