Christofle House

In 1830, Charles Christofle took over his parents' family business, which was then focused on jewelry. He turned towards silversmithing in 1842 and obtained his master silversmith's hallmark in 1845. It was in 1851 that the Christofle house made a name for itself, thanks to the sumptuous table centerpieces it crafted for Emperor Napoleon III. From then on, Christofle was considered the emperor’s official supplier and received orders from all over the world.

In the second half of the 19th century, the house focused on innovative techniques and found alternatives to solid silver pieces. In 1863, Paul Christofle took over the business and, five years later, acquired the galvanoplasty patent. He capitalized on this monopoly by elevating the production of silver-plated pieces to an industrial level, with exemplary quality.

Subsequently, in 1897, the house opened its first store on Rue Royale in Paris and participated in the Chicago World’s Fair. It was the only French house to exhibit silverware. Christofle was also present at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, where it was noted for its Art Nouveau creations. Christofle’s works graced the most luxurious establishments: the Crillon Hotel at its opening in 1908, the ocean liner Normandie for its transatlantic crossing in 1935, the Orient Express, and Air France planes.

Throughout the 20th century, the house collaborated with various renowned designers to create special collections: Danish designer Christian Fjerdingstad for the 1925 Decorative Arts Exhibition, Italian designer Gio Ponti from 1928, Lino Sabattini in 1957, Andrée Putman in 2005, and Ora Ito in 2010.

In 2005, the Christofle house returned to its roots and created a jewelry collection. Today, Christofle designs and sells jewelry, cutlery, tableware, homeware, and luxury silverware.

We regularly auction Christofle silverware, including shaped pieces or cutlery sets.

If you are interested in these productions, feel free to participate in our Furniture and Art Objects sales.

If you would like an appraisal of a Christofle piece, feel free to contact our expert.