The story of Sèvres started with an ambitious pair of brothers who, working under license from the French king, launched their own porcelain production at the Chateau de Vincennes in the mid-1740s. Their specialty was soft paste frit-porcelain, a method that allowed for elegant and colorful designs thanks to the low firing temperature needed to finish the piece. The sheer beauty of these early designs – and the immense cost and labor afforded each piece – convinced the king to assume a quarter of the company’s interest in 1751. Seven years later, Louis XV assumed 100 percent ownership to ensure that both the brilliance and exclusivity of Sèvres designs would continue. It was during this takeover that the company moved production to Sèvres, the rumor being that this move was made to bring production closer to the king and his mistress, Madame du Pompadour, who had long adored the company’s ceramics.