Christofle – Oil Cruet And Its Carafes In Silver-plated Metal And Crystal, Louis XVI Style

Beautiful oil and vinegar cruet by CHRISTOFLE. The silver-plated frame has a fluted central column topped by a fluted ring. It is connected to the pedestal by a central molded part with two rings. The superb fluted crystal bottles rest on these two rings. The bottles are complete with their original spherical stoppers with ground glass detailing..

Hallmarks of CHRISTOFLE.

Dimensions
•    Frame: Height: 28 – Width 19 – Pedestal diameter: 11.4 cm.
•    Bottles: Height: 21.5 – Width: 8 cm.

In its original box (with tears and wear).


Condition report
Practically new condition.

This oil and vinegar cruet, still in its original case, likely has never been used. It is distinguished by its rare fluted shaft and ring—less common in this CHRISTOFLE model—and by its uniquely twisted fluted bottles, a design that reflects the higher production costs involved.


CHRISTOFLE’s History
Founded in 1830, the CHRISTOFLE house quickly became the official supplier to His Majesty King Louis-Philippe with a commission in 1846 for a table service at the Château d'Eu. CHRISTOFLE gained prominence when Emperor Napoleon III commissioned a grand ceremonial service upon his ascent, comprising 4,000 pieces and centered around a monumental surtout displayed at the 1855 Exposition Universelle. Although much of this service was lost in the Tuileries fire of 1871[1], CHRISTOFLE’s reputation flourished. As a silversmith for royalty and an official supplier to the Emperor, the house was sought by foreign sovereigns, including Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, the Tsar of Russia, the Kaiser, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Sultan Abdülaziz of the Ottoman Empire.
CHRISTOFLE’s development became exponential, solidifying its status as one of the preeminent silversmiths of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, even extending its expertise to the gilding of the Garnier Opera House roof. Creating modern Art Nouveau and Art Deco lines that triumphed at the 1925 Exposition of Decorative Arts, CHRISTOFLE also produced services for grand ocean liners like the Atlantique, Île-de-France, and Normandie, as well as for hotels like the Ritz and major rail and shipping companies^[2].
Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, CHRISTOFLE continued to produce avant-garde pieces in collaboration with renowned designers until its departure from family ownership in 2014.

CHRISTOFLE’s Presence in Major Museums
Works by CHRISTOFLE can be found in major museums worldwide, including the Louvre, the Museum of Decorative Arts, Musée d'Orsay, and the Grand Palais in Paris; the Metropolitan Museum and MoMA in New York; the Victoria & Albert Museum and British Museum in London; the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon; and on the tables of heads of state, embassies, ministries, and prominent institutions.

^{[1] The centrepiece was found in the smoking ruins of the Tuileries by Henri BOUIHLET, nephew of Charles CHRISTOFLE and vice-president of the factory. It is now exhibited at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, in its discovered state.
[2] In 1935, for example, 40,000 pieces of goldwork were delivered for the Normandie liner.}