Even the hoped-for production increase did not materialize. So the company’s board, who held Von Gudenberg accountable, put him under serious pressure. In 1888 an attempt was made to improve profits by increasing the company’s production scale. In the grounds of the old villa a new factory complex rose. But business results remained disappointing. The company’s shareholders then lost patience and decided to save their investments by setting up a factory for the mass production of tiles. Colenbrander immediately began designing tile patterns.

In 1886 the factory was renamed Haagsche Plateelbakkerij Rozenburg. But even though the villa’s rooms buzzed with creativity, it did not make a lot of money. In fact, despite the critics’ praise, sales figures were downright bad. So a commercial director was hired, and artists and politicians who were friends with Von Gudenberg canvassed for buyers and investors. This worked: enough people acquired shares for the company to be able to buy state-of-the-art gas-fuelled ovens. Nevertheless, the promise of better commercial results was not realized.

Klaas V

Mesdag and Vosmaer

This first vase defined Colenbrander’s signature style. It is so individual that his work is always easily recognized. Famous artists, like painter Hendrik Mesdag and writer Carel Vosmaer, admired Colenbrander’s  exuberant designs. A set of vases of incredible beauty titled Day and Night, designed for a cabinet top, proudly stood in Mesdag’s home for years. (Now everybody can admire it, in the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag.) Mesdag became involved with the factory, too. He contributed some of his own work, to be copied onto tile tableaux. And he helped the starting venture from his considerable private funds.