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It all starts in 1908 with Jean BORN whose name then becomes ROBJ. At the time he is interested in electrical igniters and registers the models in 1910.
Two years after the first world war he adds all artistic trinkets in porcelain.
He dies in 1922 in a car-accident and Lucien WILLMETZ, a shareholder in the firm, takes over the management. He is the one who will really influence and emphasize ROBJ's style.
Supported by sculptors, modellers and fire-technicians he initiates a competition of "art trinkets in ceramics", a genuine nursery of talents until 1931.
He has excellent acquaintances among people involved with art and the time is propitious to decorative innovations.
The characteristics of ROBJ's pieces are quite in keeping with the trend of the time and success is immediate. In 1928 comes the greatest hit of the firm : liqueur-decanters.
In 1929, on the same principle come the tobacco-pots. Elegance, modernity and originality are all there while preserving liveliness and inventiveness, and the combination of themes and subject-matters also share in the success.
Several ceramics-centers are applied to for the production : the Manufacture de Sèvres, Villeroy et Boch in Luxemburg, several factories in Limoges and a decoration workshop with a muffle furnace in Boulogne-sur-Seine.
To-day the Manufacture de Villeroy et Boch, producing pieces for ROBJ between 1925 and 1938 makes again the main models in hand-painted porcelain.
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