Direct from Paris: A stunning 5pc., antique French 950 sterling silver tea set by the world's premier French silversmiths "Emile Puiforcat" (currently owned by Hermes) and "Christofle", plus 4 Faberge imperial egg collection espresso cups & saucers and a candy dish in fine Limoges porcelain - circa late 1890s. The world of French decorative arts during the 19th century witnessed the rise of several illustrious silver houses, yet none achieved the remarkable synthesis of technical mastery, artistic refinement, and enduring prestige as Puiforcat. Established in Paris in 1820 by Jean-Baptiste Fuchs, who later adopted the Puiforcat name from his mother's family, the firm quickly distinguished itself through exceptional creations in 950 sterling silver that would come to define French luxury tableware. Among their most celebrated productions were the magnificent tea services that embodied the perfect balance of neoclassical aesthetics and innovative functionality. These exquisite ensembles, comprising teapots, sugar bowls, creamers, and often accompanying trays, not only served practical purposes in aristocratic households but also stood as tangible manifestations of France's cultural refinement and artistic supremacy. This amazing 5 piece set, in near new condition, is a testament to Puiforcat's unparalleled craftsmanship in tea service production, the royal patronage that elevated its status, the prestigious awards recognizing its excellence, its significant associations with Hermès, Christofle/Cardeilhac, and Fabergé, and the defining characteristics that established these pieces as benchmarks of luxury tableware.
Focus on Quality: The foundation of Puiforcat's supremacy in tea service production lies in its uncompromising approach to materials and technique. The firm's insistence on using 950 sterling silver, containing 95% pure silver rather than the standard 925 alloy, resulted in pieces with exceptional luminosity and resonance that became hallmarks of Puiforcat production. This superior silver content presented particular advantages for tea service components, allowing for thinner walls in pots and bowls while maintaining structural integrity, and producing a warmer, more mellow tone when struck - a quality particularly appreciated in the handling of silver tea utensils. Master craftsmen employed traditional techniques including hand-raising, planishing, and chasing to transform sheets of this precious metal into flawless forms, with a single teapot often requiring more than 100 hours of skilled labor to complete. The process began with the careful formation of the body, hammered into shape from a single sheet of silver to ensure perfect symmetry, followed by the meticulous attachment of spouts and handles that were cast separately for optimal strength and proportion.
Puiforcat Sterling Tea Sets: Puiforcat's tea services demonstrate both remarkable fidelity to classical design principles and subtle innovations that reflected evolving social customs. The basic forms remained true to French aesthetic traditions - oval or circular bodies with elegant proportions, delicately fluted surfaces, and restrained ornamentation. However, Puiforcat introduced technical refinements that enhanced functionality without compromising visual purity. The firm developed specialized pouring spouts that created a smooth, drip-free flow - a critical feature for the precise tea ceremonies of aristocratic households. Lid mechanisms were engineered to fit with exacting precision, often incorporating discreet springs or counterweights to ensure secure closure while allowing easy one-handed operation. The interiors of teapots and sugar bowls were typically gilded using a mercury process that created a durable gold surface, preventing chemical reactions between silver and acidic tea compounds while adding a luxurious visual contrast when the pieces were in use.
Serving European Royalty: Royal and aristocratic patronage played a crucial role in establishing Puiforcat's reputation as a premier silversmith of tea services. King Louis-Philippe commissioned several important sets from Puiforcat, including a magnificent service for the Tuileries Palace that featured discreet fleur-de-lys motifs incorporated into its decoration. The Orléans family became devoted patrons, as did numerous members of the Russian aristocracy who maintained residences in Paris. Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia acquired an elaborate tea service that included not only the standard components but also a matching samovar and tea caddy set. These royal commissions served as powerful endorsements, attracting wealthy clients from across Europe and America who sought to emulate aristocratic taste. The firm's guest books from the 1860s reveal visits from Rothschild bankers, Vanderbilt heirs, and other scions of international finance, all drawn to Puiforcat's reputation for creating the finest tea services in Paris.
Awards and Accolades: International exhibitions provided Puiforcat with prestigious platforms to showcase its tea services. The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London featured a complete tea set that demonstrated the firm's mastery of proportion and surface treatment, winning praise for the perfection of its forms and the elegance of its silhouettes. The Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 included a revolutionary tea service with heat-retaining properties - special double-walled construction in the teapot and insulated handles that kept tea at optimal temperature without external warmers. These innovations earned Puiforcat a gold medal and cemented its reputation as both guardian of tradition and pioneer of technical advancement. The firm's exhibition successes translated into commercial triumph, with waiting lists for commissioned tea services often stretching several years as discerning clients sought to acquire Puiforcat's creations.
Association with Hermes: The association between Puiforcat and the luxury house Hermès, which began in the early 20th century and culminated in Hermès acquiring the brand in 1993, represents a significant chapter in the firm's history of tea service production. This partnership brought Puiforcat's silversmithing tradition under the umbrella of one of France's most prestigious luxury brands while maintaining its distinctive aesthetic. Hermès respected Puiforcat's heritage while introducing subtle refinements - improving weight distribution in teapot handles, refining pouring angles, and developing new polishing techniques that enhanced the silver's natural luster. The collaboration resulted in limited edition tea services that combined Puiforcat's historical designs with Hermès' legendary attention to functional detail.
Collaboration with Christofle: Puiforcat's relationship with Christofle/Cardeilhac, another preeminent French silver house, was one of both competition and mutual influence. While the firms vied for aristocratic commissions, they shared technical knowledge and occasionally collaborated on special projects. The 1878 collaboration tea service, created for the Paris Exposition Universelle, combined Puiforcat's classical forms with Christofle's innovative electroplating techniques, resulting in pieces that showcased the strengths of both houses. This service, now in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, represents an important moment in French silver history, when traditional craftsmanship and industrial innovation found harmonious expression.
Puiforcat & Faberge: The connection between Puiforcat and Fabergé developed through their shared Russian aristocratic clientele. Several important Puiforcat tea services were enhanced with Fabergé enamelwork and gemstone accents for their Russian patrons, creating extraordinary hybrid pieces that blended French silversmithing with Russian decorative arts. The most famous of these collaborations was the 1897 "Imperial Lily" tea service, commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II as a gift for his mother, which featured Puiforcat's sterling silver forms adorned with Fabergé's signature guilloché enamel in imperial blue and gold. These joint creations represent some of the most exquisite examples of fin-de-siècle luxury tableware.
Innovative Production Methods: The construction of Puiforcat's tea services reveals remarkable technical sophistication beneath their elegant surfaces. Teapot bodies were formed using a combination of raising and spinning techniques to achieve perfect wall thickness - substantial enough to convey quality but thin enough to remain lightweight in use. Spouts were carefully engineered with internal baffles to control flow rate and prevent dripping, while handles were weighted to counterbalance full pots. Sugar bowls and creamers featured precision-fitted lids that created airtight seals to preserve contents, with discreet thumb rests for easy opening. The most elaborate services included matching trays with raised borders that prevented sliding of pieces, their surfaces often decorated with engraved motifs that complemented the service's overall design theme.
Puiforcat's mastery of surface decoration set its tea services apart from competitors. The firm's craftsmen employed subtle textural variations to create visual interest - alternating between matte and polished finishes to catch the light differently as pieces were handled during tea service. Gilding was applied with precision to highlight delicate beading or classical motifs. Finials, often shaped as urns or floral bouquets, were executed with botanical accuracy that reflected Puiforcat's commitment to perfection in even the smallest details. This careful balance of ornament and restraint resulted in services that commanded attention through refinement rather than ostentation.
The workshop methods that produced these masterpieces reflected a tradition of craftsmanship that Puiforcat maintained throughout its history. Each tea service component was the product of numerous specialists - silversmiths for forming bodies, spout makers, handle casters, chasers for decorative work, gilders for interior surfaces, and finishers who ensured perfect polish and assembly. Apprenticeships lasted seven years, during which young craftsmen would learn every aspect of their specialty before being allowed to work on production pieces. Quality control was exacting, with each piece undergoing multiple inspections at different stages of production. Tea services were tested for balance when filled, pouring performance, and heat retention properties, with any piece failing to meet standards being melted down regardless of the labor invested.
The Legacy of Puiforcat: The cultural significance of Puiforcat's tea services extends beyond their material value. In 19th century France, the tea ceremony represented an important social ritual, particularly among aristocratic and upper-class women who presided over afternoon gatherings. A Puiforcat service on the tea table conveyed messages about the hostess's taste, wealth, and cultural sophistication - the impeccable craftsmanship indicating discernment and access to Paris's finest artisans. These services frequently appear in paintings and literature of the period as symbols of cultivated domesticity, their gleaming surfaces reflecting both candlelight and social aspirations. For émigré clients in Russia, America, and South America, possession of a Puiforcat tea service served as a tangible connection to French culture and a marker of cosmopolitan identity.
Today, Puiforcat's tea services are prized by collectors and institutions alike. Major museums including the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York include examples in their collections, recognizing them as exemplars of French silver design. The market for these services remains strong, with complete, well-preserved sets commanding significant prices at auction. A Puiforcat tea service from the collection of Princess Mathilde Bonaparte sold at Christie's in 2017 for over $180,000, demonstrating the enduring appeal of these masterpieces. The firm's association with Hermès has introduced its work to new generations of collectors, ensuring that Puiforcat's legacy continues to evolve while remaining rooted in its tradition of excellence.
Set Composition: This set includes a teapot, coffee pot, sugar bowl and cream pitcher in 950 sterling silver in addition to 4 Faberge Egg espresso cups and saucers and one candy dish in fine Limoges porcelain. The Coffee Pot stands roughly 20.00cm. high to the top of the lid, is approximately 20.00cm. across from the tip of the spout to the outside of the handle and weights 727 grams. It bears the French Government's Head of the Minerva 1 hallmark, certifying a minimum of 950 sterling silver, in addition to the Puiforcat sterling silver manufacturer's hallmark.
The elegant Cream Pitcher with gold plated (vermeil) interior stand approximately 11.00cm. high to the top of the handle, is roughly 12.50cm. across from the tip of the spout to the outside of the handle and weights 227 grams. It also bears the French Government's Head of the Minerva 1 hallmark, certifying a minimum of 950 sterling silver, in addition to the Puiforcat sterling silver manufacturer's hallmark.
The Teapot is roughly 16.50cm. high to the top of the lid, approximately 24.50cm. across from the tip of the spout to the outside of the handle and weights 776 grams. It also bears the French Government's Head of the Minerva 1 hallmark, certifying a minimum of 950 sterling silver, in addition to the Puiforcat sterling silver manufacturer's hallmark.
The elegant Sugar Bowl with gold plated (vermeil) interior stands approximately 12.50cm. high to the top of the lid, has a diameter of roughly 11.50cm. at its widest point and weights 391 grams. It also bears the French Government's Head of the Minerva 1 hallmark, certifying a minimum of 950 sterling silver, in addition to the Puiforcat sterling silver manufacturer's hallmark.
The massive serving tray is approximately 64.50cm. in length to the outside of the handles, 42.50cm. across at its widest point and weights over 3,300 grams. It also bears the French Government's Head of the Minerva 1 hallmark, certifying a minimum of 950 sterling silver, in addition to the Christofle, Cardeilhac sterling silver manufacturer's hallmark.
Each Faberge Jeweled Easter Egg designed espresso cup and saucer together stand 6.30cm. in height, the saucer has a diameter of 12.00cm. Each is stamped in gold on the underside with the "Faberge" Emblem and "Limoges France". Each cup by itself is 6.00cm. high, has a diameter of 5.50cm. and is stamped in gold on the underside with the "Faberge Emblem" and "Limoges France". There are two Faberge Imperial Egg designs on each espresso cup - one on each side.
The Candy / Biscuit Dish in Limoges porcelain with the Faberge Imperial Jeweled Egg “Alexander Palace” Pattern. has a top diameter of 14.50 cm. and stands 4.00 cm. high. It is stamped in gold on the underside with the Faberge emblem and Limoges France in addition to the words "porcelaine de Limoges France". The original Alexander Palace egg featured the children of the last tsar, Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra and is currently in the Kremlin museum.
