Les Collections Historiques
THE STORY OF AN EXCEPTIONAL SILVERSMITH
On the occasion of the exhibition “Christofle, a brilliant story” at the musée des Arts décoratifs, the house created exceptional artwork.
A way to reveal and share the richness and variety of the treasures of the Christofle maison, a symbol of French luxury, which, beyond enhancing tableware, continues to put art on the table.
THE SURTOUT : ODE TO ORIGINS
In the style of the masterpieces presented during the World Fairs of the 19th century, Jean-Pierre Cottet-Dubreuil imagined the Ode to Origins, a unique piece of Haute-Orfevrerie produced in the Christofle workshops.
A unique, monumental piece of great technical prowess, combining ancestral know-how and modern technology. It required more than 1,000 hours of work over a year and a half, from its conception -drawings and models, to its creation by all the craftsmen, goldsmiths, founders and engineers of the Christofle atelier and its partners.
Presented in apotheosis at the end of the exhibition at the musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris, this singular set, a unique example, will then be offered for sale.
It is accompanied by pairs of nine-light candelabras and table mirrors. Its shapes, both geometric and organic, make this unique piece shine with a thousand reflections.
The main part also includes rock crystal elements: certain cubes and the central cup measuring 40 cm in diameter, all cut from a block of crystal weighing 75 kg.
THE REEDITIONS
The maison Christofle will present re-editions of emblematic objects : onion, carrot, celery and fish shape vases.
PETIT VASES
ONION, CARROT or CELERY
Created in 1891 by the Christofle workshops, these three small vases are symbolic of the naturalist movement, at a time when fauna and flora inspired the creation of objects and works of art, just before Art Nouveau stylized its shapes and curves to the extreme.
These three 4-inch high soliflores in patinated silver metal represent garden vegetables with astonishing realism, and infinite details in the ornamentation and foliage. These vases are reminiscent of the famous “Squash” or “Pâtisson” services by Christofle shown during the exhibit.
FISH SHAPE
VASE
An essential classic of the maison, this fish-shaped vase is reissued in patinated silver metal (with a height of 33.5 cm), made for the first time in solid cast iron, without assembly, with particular care taken by the workshops at certain details like the eyes or the fins, to give it life and character.
Designed by Émile Reiber, architect who became head of Christofle's drawing and composition workshop from 1865 to 1878, the fish-shaped vase is inspired by a Japanese bronze vase from the end of the Edo period (1603- 1868) belonging to the Cernuschi Museum collection.
A CONTEMPORARY PIECE
AFFINITÉS WATER PITCHER
In the tradition of these great designers (Luc Lanel, Gio Ponti, Lino Sabbatini, Tapio Wirkkala, Andrée Putman, and Martin Szekely) who imagined the future of tableware for the Christofle maison over the decades, Studio Christofle created a new piece for this exhibition: the "Affinités" water pitcher.
Combining steel and silver, this object therefore plays freely, in an uninhibited way, on unexpected alliances: duality. It combines in a unique way two materials with different tones which have always been present in the Christofle catalog.
SOUVENIRS GIFTS...
To bring a piece of the Christofle universe at home, discover Christofle's selection.
AS SEEN AT THE EXHIBITION
Discover iconic pieces that can be seen at the Exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
