ANTIQUE 19thC FRENCH MONUMENTAL SILVER-GILT TEA SERVICE, CARDEILHAC c.1870

DESCRIPTION

Antique 19th Century Exceptional French Louis XVI style silver-gilt monumental tea service, comprising of a silver plated kettle on stand and silver plated plated tray, all other pieces are solid silver; hot water kettle, chocolate pot with a wood swizzle stick, coffee pot, teapot, lidded sugar bowl, cream jug and twelve dessert plates, all richly gilt throughout. Each piece standing on cast scroll feet, decorated with laurel leaves and overlapping coins, the body partly fluted, decorated with rosettes and draperies, set with carved grotesque wood handles, the edges applied with silver pearl boarders. Hallmarked French Minerva (950 silver standard), Paris, Maker E.C (Maison Cardeilhac, active 1804-1951, 24 place Vendome, Paris), stamped Cardeilhac Paris.

The company was founded in 1804 by Antoine-Vital Cardeilhac, who specialised in silver tableware and cutlery in a fine Rococo style. Soon, the firm gained notoriety participating to the International Fairs and winning a bronze medal in 1823 and the silver one in 1827 and 1834. Antoine-Vital’s son, Armand-Eduard took over the company in 1851 and carried on the style and tradition of the firm, renowned for its finely chased pieces and casts ornated with naturalistic elements, scrolls and leaves. Under his leadership the company won a silver prize at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867, a gold medal in 1878 and Armand-Eduard was appointed Maitre Orfevre by Napoleon III.

Armand-Eduard retired in 1885, succeeded by his grandson Ernest, who broke with the family traditional style introducing new Art Nouveau designs into the business production often employing drawings by the designer Lucien Bonvallet. Again the firm was prized in 1889 at the Exposition Universelle. In 1951 Christofle buys the company after over a century of prosperity. Cardeilhac fine artworks can be seen in some of the most important French museums, such as Musée d’Orsay and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - No Damage.

SIZE

TRAY (Silver Plated)

Width: 53 cm // 20.87 in
Depth: 19 cm // 7.48 in
Weight: 6190 g

KETTLE (Silver Plated)

Height: 52 cm // 20.47 in
Width: 27 cm // 10.63 in
Depth: 25 cm // 9.84 in
Weight: 3420 g

CHOCOLATE POT

Height: 28 cm // 11.02 in
Width: 23 cm // 9.06 in
Depth: 11 cm // 4.33 in
Weight: 1086 g // 34.88 troy oz

COFFEE POT

Height: 30 cm // 11.81 in
Width: 21 cm // 8.27 in
Depth: 15 cm // 5.91 in
Weight: 1035 g // 33.24 troy oz

TEAPOT

Height: 25 cm // 9.84 in
Width: 27 cm // 10.63 in
Depth: 15 cm // 5.91 in
Weight: 1005 g // 32.26 troy oz

HOT WATER POT

Height: 36 cm // 14.17 in
Width: 22 cm // 8.66 in
Depth: 16 cm // 6.30 in
Weight: 1690 g // 54.26 troy oz

SUGAR BOWL

Height: 19 cm // 7.48 in
Width: 18 cm // 7.09 in
Depth: 13 cm // 5.12 in
Weight: 770 g // 24.72 troy oz

CREAM JUG

Height: 16 cm // 6.30 in
Width: 14 cm // 5.51 in
Depth: 10 cm // 3.94 in
Weight: 410 g // 13.16 troy oz

12 DESSERT PLATES

Diameter: 22 cm // 8.66 in
Combined Weight: 7550 g // 246.81 troy oz

Total Silver Weight: 15,546 g // 499.33 troy oz