The tiled Metro is based on a common European model from the turn of the 20th century. The model was common in the metro stations of Paris and London, and it still appears in some stations 100 years later! Each tile is marked with Gysinge on the back.

The tile is thick and strong and has a vibrant surface because it is made by hand, tile by tile. It is glazed by hand and fired in old kilns. The hand glazing makes the surface vibrant and shimmering. A larger surface tiled with our tile therefore gives the same impression as an old hand-beaten tile oven.

The Gysinge tile is a beveled tile for bathrooms and kitchens of a model that was common in Sweden in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several Swedish tile manufacturers existed at the time, including Ekeby Bruk in Uppsala.

What distinguishes Swedish tiles from international models is that Swedish tiles are usually square, not rectangular, and that the tiles come in so many parts, including half tiles, borders and moldings, that you can create a complete set.

The tile is thick and strong and has a vibrant surface, because it is made by hand and fired in old kilns. The glazing is also done by hand, which further enhances the rustic impression. All tiles are labeled “Gysinge” on the back.

Swedish-made handmade tile. White glazed by hand. Width 15cm, length 15cm, thickness 12mm, thickness edge 9mm

A hand-glazed, fully smooth tile based on old models with the same vibrant and shimmering surface as all other handmade tiles sold by Gysinge. A larger surface tiled with “Prinsen” therefore gives the same shimmering impression as an old handmade tile stove. The tile is excellent to combine with our borders, or with our tile breast strip if you want a time-typical ending of the tiling.

At the turn of the 20th century, fully tiled rooms, i.e. tiled from floor to ceiling, could already be found in really lavish settings. Examples of such environments are the kitchen in Hallwylska palace in Stockholm, the kitchen at Waldemarsudde, what is called “The Prince’s Kitchen” and some others. Sometimes even the ceilings were tiled. This was the case at Hallwylska Palace, for example, and in the new luxurious bathrooms built by the bourgeoisie around the turn of the century 1900. Many people have thought that this type of tiling is from later times, as the tiles are also smooth, but there was probably a hygienic reason behind the smooth surfaces. The tiles would simply be easy to wipe clean. The fact that the tiles are usually joined together with minimal grouting is another factor that supports the theory that good hygiene was the aim.

Single piece. Swedish-made handmade tile. White glazed by hand. Width 15cm, length 15cm, thickness 1,1 -1,2 cm.