THE STORY BEGINS IN 1842

Isidore Leroy patents his “multi-colour simultaneous printing machine for drapery papers and a printing cylinder for papers and fabrics”. It was now possible to print continuously on paper, based on methods previously reserved for fabrics. The traditional, manual plate technique was a thing of the past. This technical revolution propelled Isidore Leroy’s production into the industrial age and made his company the market reference for 140 years.

UNDER THE SECOND EMPIRE

The Manufacture experienced its first golden age. Successes followed: awards at the Universal Exhibitions of 1855 and 1867, registration of invention and improvement patents, an increase in the number of models offered for sale, and a surge in orders supported in 1860 by the signing of the Franco-British Free Trade Agreement. Leroy wallpapers were sought after all over the world. It was then, in 1877, that Isidore Leroy invented the “26-colour printing machine”, a true technical marvel that would never be equalled. It was the time of the triumphant and prosperous bourgeoisie. It was a time of luxury and ostentatious comfort, creating an extremely favourable environment for Leroy wallpapers.

FROM NEW ART TO DECO ART

The house of Leroy is in its second heyday and the modern spirit is blowing through its creations. The fashion is for constructive logic, formal rigour, rhythm of lines and sober colours. Geometric figures abound: circles, triangles, rhombuses. They simulate the movement of a generation that is discovering the aeroplane, the automobile and the delights of sport. The technological advance was maintained, and the range of Leroy wallpapers came in varnished, glazed or washable versions. The factory was running at full capacity and the company was the undisputed leader in its market in France and Europe.