Christofle is a French manufacturer and retailer of high-end

tableware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of o ...

, jewelry and

home accessories Home accessories are furniture items which are easy to replace and easy to move, and include almost any items that are not strictly functionally necessary in a decorated space. These accessories include such items as curtains, sofa sets, cushions, t ...

. Founded in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

by Charles Christofle in 1830, the company is known for making fine

silverware Silverware may refer to: * Household silver including **Tableware **Cutlery **Candlesticks *The work of a silversmith * Silverware is also a slang term for a collection of trophies A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievem ...

. Christofle was acquired in 2012 by one of its shareholders, the Chalhoub family.

History

The company was established in 1830, when jeweler Charles Christofle (1805–1863) assumed management of a jewelry workshop belonging to his wife's family. The company introduced electrolytic gilding and silver plating to France in 1842. Among the company's product lines are silver picture frames, crystal vases and glassware, porcelain dinnerware, and silver jewelry and

holloware Holloware (hollowware, or hollow-ware ) is metal tableware such as sugar bowls, creamers, coffee pots, teapots, soup tureens, hot food covers, water jugs, platters, butter pat plates, and other items that accompany dishware on a table. It d ...

. In 1951, Christofle agreed with Ernest Cardeilhac to purchase the Cardeilhac firm's tools and patterns. The Cardeilhac firm had been founded in 1804 by Antoine-Vital Cardeilhac, who became a well-known

silversmith A silversmith is a metalworker who crafts objects from silver. The terms ''silversmith'' and ''goldsmith'' are not exactly synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product may vary grea ...

in Paris. During the 20th century, Christofle remained under the control and ownership of the founding family, which was represented in later years by Maurizio Borletti. The company was publicly traded until 1998, when Borletti and others took the firm private. In 2012, Christofle was bought by the Chalhoub family. Christofle manufactures its products in France and in Brazil. The products are sold worldwide through 75 Pavillon Christofle retail stores, and also through 400 department stores and specialty shops. Artists and designers such as the Parisian silversmith Antoine Perrin,

Man Ray Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealism, Surrealist movements, although his t ...

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the s ...

Gio Ponti Giovanni "Gio" Ponti ( ͡ʒo18 November 1891 – 16 September 1979) was an Italian architect, industrial designer, furniture designer, artist, teacher, writer and publisher. During his career, which spanned six decades, Ponti built more than a ...

Andrée Putman Andrée Putman (23 December 1925 – 19 January 2013) was a French interior and product designer. She was the mother of Olivia Putman and of Cyrille Putman. Life and work Childhood and youth (1925–1944) Andrée Christine Aynard was bor ...

, Martin Szekely, Ito Morabito (Ora-Ïto),

Xiao Hui Wang Xiao Hui Wang () is a Chinese artist, author and socialite who works mainly in photography, sculpture, design, and media art. Her work has been exhibited internationally, and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors; the city of ...

and Richard Hutten are among those whose creations have been made by Christofle.Online Encyclopedia of Siver Marks, Hallmarks and Makers'Marks, Christofle; An Historical Outline
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References

Bibliography

Style on a Silver Platter, India Today, 2/28/08
* * * ''The History of Silver'', Claude Blair, Ballantine Publishing Group, 1987 * ''Modern Art of Metalwork: Brohan-Museum Collection VI'', Berlin, 2001 * (fr) ''Des cheminées dans la plaine: cent ans d'industrie à Saint-Denis, autour de Christofle (1830-1930)'', creaphis editions, 1998 - 203 pages

* (fr) ''Christofle le maître de l'argent'', Le Point, 201

External links

Official website

Christofle at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Christofle on Artnet

Mobilier national (France) collections
{{Authority control French silversmiths Manufacturing companies based in Paris Design companies established in 1830 Manufacturing companies established in 1830 1830 establishments in France Purveyors to the Imperial and Royal Court Metalsmiths from Paris

History

See also

References

Bibliography

External links