At the beginning of the Atelier Maison Quatre adventure, we did extensive research into the origins of mazagran and we discovered that this object, which is much more than a simple coffee cup, has a fascinating history that has its roots... in Algeria.
Origins and creation
Mazagran is named after the Algerian town of Mazagran, famous for a battle during the conquest of the country by the Duke of Aumale. After this battle, Berry soldiers were offered mint tea as a sign of peace, served in tall conical cups made of inlaid silver. One of the officers, impressed by these cups, brought a copy back to France and showed it to Charles Pillivuyt. Inspired, Pillivuyt decided to create porcelain versions for coffee, giving birth to the first mazagrans.
Features and Design
Initial design
The first mazagrans were made of thick porcelain to keep the coffee warm. They had a gold rim a few millimeters from the rim, intended to leave room for a drop of brandy, a common practice at the time.
Evolution in the 20th Century
Its use has spread to several countries, notably France and Germany, where it has become a symbol of convivial moments around coffee. However, its design has not evolved much, often remaining fixed in traditional patterns.
In 1955, the Guillaume house in Bourges, specializing in tableware, introduced a variant called the "mazette". This lower version was designed to fit into the percolators of coffee machines in bars, thus meeting modern needs while retaining the essence of the mazagran.
The ROBIN factory, located in Indre, specialized in the production of very large mazagrans. Charles ROBIN, famous for his creations, was even photographed next to a mazagran over a meter high, demonstrating the scale and diversity of local production.
Modernization by Atelier Maison Quatre
At Atelier Maison Quatre, we set out to modernize the mazagran by preserving its heritage while giving it a contemporary look. Inspired by childhood memories and the conviviality of family meals, our founder Juliette redesigned the mazagran with a minimalist and refined design, making it as functional as it is elegant.