{1862 Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon'}

This is probably the oldest piece that I do have at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics, 1862 French Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon' a very rare and perfect Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon from 1862 in the Filet Violon pattern. Also you can find the same antique Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon at the French Ministère de la Culture. Scroll down to number 26 for about the same piece with mention that it is from the 2nd half of the 19th century. These designs are still from Charles Christofle, hence the C C hallmark with his initials (see the closeup on this antique sifter spoon all the way down). Poor Charles died at the age of 58, only 5 years after Emperor Napoleon III appointed Charles Christofle official purveyor to the court. You can read about the Charles Christofle A Visionary. By the way, this 'Filet' pattern is still available from Christofle in a new style, that also looks like the old 'Violon' violin shape. See the Christofle Chinon. See link further down below...

The beautifully pierced French Christofle sugar sifter spoon, together with some of my private collection.

The center one is an antique French one that is gilded.

In the back you see a silver muffineer.

Here the 1862 Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon is turned upside down.

You also see my tennis tea cup & saucer set from Royal Albert Princess Anne which is available from Replacements Ltd.

Beautiful piercing!

The one upside down is similar at the handle, like the Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon I got... Just saved this from an old Southern Accents magazine. How I MISS this classy magazine...

Meanwhile I am the lucky owner of the hardcover book: The Epicurean Collector: Exploring the World of Culinary Antiques by Patrick Dunne from Luculluss Antiques in New Orleans, who did write this book together with the Editors of Southern Accents. This photo is on page 42. Available at amazon.

Showing you the details and our blueberries from July 11, in a Royal Doulton English Rose bowl, also available at Replacements Ltd.

The present 'Chinon' cutlery by Christofle pattern looks similar too!

The Charles Christofle hallmark in this 1862 Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon'

Sorry Sold out...

{6691 Filets - 10 Antique French Christofle Knife Rests}

A very rare antique set of 10 Christofle knife rests in the 6691 'Filets' pattern from an antique catalog of 1883 - 1891. They are not even available at Replacements Ltd. at present.

'Prestigious commissions from royalty and heads of state, including King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III, and the supply of silver for grand hotels, ocean liners, trains and airlines bear witness to the house's success and reputation. The most respected French and European museums have pieces by Christofle in their permanent collections'. From the Christofle Heritage.

So, if you cannot vacation on such a luxury ocean liner, or on the Orient Express nor stay at grand hotels; there is still a chance for creating that romantic touch inside your own home! Just click to go to my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.  hall mark and further info, scroll down.

This Table Setting is with the blue plates from Société Céramique Maestricht, in the Boerenhoeve pattern. Of course Boerenhoeve is Dutch for Farmstead and this is transfer ware from the 1930s.

Plate Chargers are Pillivuyt in the Sancerre pattern, available at Replacements Ltd. The Flatware is by Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet. Napkin in ton-sur-ton is by Le Jacquard Français.

This is how the knives from first course and main course are rested upon this knife rest...

Cutting edge of knives, always facing towards the plate!

9 out of 10 do have this antique Christofle hall mark with CC two scales, 4 stars above and bee below with a kind of palm branches.

1 out of 10 has this newer hall mark from after 1935

To the left you see the item number 6691 'Filets' from the second Christofle Catalog.

Sorry Sold out...
There are a few others left for sale at Spectrenoir.

{Set of 8 Antique Christofle Knife Rests with 4-Balls}

Perfect Antique Christofle silver plated knife rests in a set of 8. 

'Prestigious commissions from royalty and heads of state, including King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III, and the supply of silver for grand hotels, ocean liners, trains and airlines bear witness to the house's success and reputation. The most respected French and European museums have pieces by Christofle in their permanent collections as well as it has for years at Christofle Heritage.

So, if you cannot vacation on such a luxury ocean liner, or on the Orient Express nor stay at grand hotels; there is still a chance for creating that romantic touch inside your own home! Just go to my Spectenoir←click it. Christofle knife rests are very rare and at present not even available at Replacements Ltd. 

This Table Setting is with Royal Albert Princess Anne and is available at Replacements Ltd. The Flatware is by Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet. Napkin with rose in ton-sur-ton is by Le Jacquard Français.

These oval and round Christofle napkin rings are all sold out...

These 8 knife rests are in perfect condition!

They rest on 2 of their 4 balls; 4-boules.

Hall mark from Christofle France on all 8.

Top left you can see this 4-boules model.

Sorry Sold out...

{Antique Christofle Toast Rack + New Ideas for You!}

Probably you will pick up an idea or two for putting a toast rack to more uses. Have you ever served waffles in them for a breakfast in bed or a lazy Sunday brunch? Look at this photo from an old Victoria magazine where you can see the example. 

Bet you like that!

Here you see an antique silver plated Christofle Toast Rack being put to use as a card or letter holder.

This one was available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. 

This 1912-1914 model does have 4 slots.

And yes, I picked fresh blueberries today from our garden...

Using my English Rose by Royal Doulton China. The hyperlink will bring you straight to Replacements Ltd.

From Table to Desk...

Next tip is to use the toast rack for holding napkins! Folded into a triangle seen here are cocktail napkins that can be used for a tea or hors d'oeuvres.

Of course you can easily fold in two napkins per slot, I used only one for each opening.

Here you can see it without anything inside...

The Christofle hall mark and that number 7 in a square frame stands for 7 grams of pure silver laid on the alloy (probably brass).

To the right there are more numbers.

From an old Christofle catalog.

Shown is one with 6 openings, it was available in two sizes.  

Sorry Sold out...

{Antique Christofle Knife Rests in Fleur de Lys}

Another French treasure to show you here. Antique Christofle knife rests from the end of the 19th century, with a Fleur de Lys pattern. A rare quantity of 14 this time, available in 8 and 6 piece sets. They will be perfect for saving your precious table linens from getting soiled. Shown here as a table setting with Royal Albert Friendship Daffodil China and Le Jacquard Français table linen. Resting on this knife rest is my Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet flatware.

Can you imagine that in 1883 Christofle did equip the Orient Express with their silver ware? What a luxury life for the Avant Garde... And in 1898 they equiped the Ritz Paris with fine silver ware. In 1935 Christofle realized 45,000 pieces designed by Luc Lanel for the Luxury Liner Normandie. That was a cruise ship like the Titanic... what a dream life for the upper class! Those Luc Lanel pieces I also have shown 11 Vintage French Christofle Luc Lanel 'Ondulation' Knife Rests.
These Christofle knife rests are available at my: Spectrenoir

From the book Christofle by David Rosenberg you also can learn about the above mentioned history. It is shown in the blog with the Luc Lanel design, link is above. 

Photos were taken on March 9, hence the paperwhite narcissus...

It is shown here on page 21 from the Christofle 1842-1883 catalogue, as number 3364 Porte-couteaux ferrure.

I received this copy from a friendly Frenchman! Wish I had the entire catalogue...

Left you see the old hall mark in a diamond shape with a bee below, a C (for Charles Christofle) to the left and to the right, a scale in-between with stars above. Separately in block letters the word Christofle.

Rather hard to capture... you cannot get near the hallmark with your camera because of the four Fleur de Lys.

Owning such a piece does cover quite some history.

This Maker's Mark is from the 2nd half of the 19th century.

Fourteen of them and some do have the hall mark to the right.

Only 8 are available at Spectrenoir... 6 are sold!

Today, as in the past, whether gracing the tables of emperors, princes or maharajas, in palaces, on board the Trans-Siberian Railway, Orient Express or transatlantic ocean liners or in contemporary restaurants, Christofle continues to make an impression.

Sorry Sold out...