Christofle
Christofle is a luxury French silverware and tableware company founded by Charles Christofle in Paris in 1830. The company is known for introducing electrolytic gilding and silver plating in France in 1842.
Charles Christofle was born into a family of Parisian industrialists specialising in precious metal work. He was 15 years old when he started his apprenticeship with his brother-in-law in manufacturing “provincial jewellery “. He took over the business in 1830 and registered the Christofle maker’s mark.
After he purchased the patent for gilding and silvering by electrolysis, he gave birth to silver plating in France and made a dinner service for King Louis-Phillipe in 1846. Their fame came , however, when Emperor Napoleon III ordered a 4000-piece service in 1851. Its’ titles “goldsmith of the King” and “suppliers of the Emperor “ made the company world famous and they made items for Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, the Tsar of Russia, the German Kaiser, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and the Sultan Abdulaziz of the Ottoman Empire, amongst others.
After Charles’ death his son and nephew took over the business and Christofle became one of the major goldsmiths of the century. In the year 2000 the company was taken over by a Saudi Arabian Investment Fund.
Christofle continues to make exquisite tableware and decorations and objects d’art. It also launched La Collection Vintage where the company buys back antique Christofle pieces, restores it and resells it.
At Ghorbany Benmore we have a a substantial collection of Christofle Malmaison tableware, circa 1980, in stock.