The Villeroy and Boch Co. opened in 1748 under the direction of
Francois Boch and his sons, Pierre-Joseph, Dominique, and Jean-
Francois. The Boch family was held in high esteem by the
townspeople of Audun-le-Tiche, France. Before making the
decision to manufacturer porcelain, Francois Boch designed and
manufactured bombs for France and the Holy Roman Empire. His
work had made him somewhat of a folk hero. Although, the bomb-
making business was profitable, Boch was concerned for the well
being of his sons. As a result of testing various bombs,
Francois Boch sustained a number of injuries, including
permanent loss of his hearing. Wanting something better for his
sons, Francois exited the bomb-manufacturing business and began
producing porcelain. The company experienced a number of set
backs in its early days. Francois Boch was unaccustomed to the
production of porcelain and did not have the correct formula to
produce attractive and durable tableware. Until the writing of
the American Constitution in 1889, there