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The silverware company was founded by Charles Bouilhet-Christofle
back in 1830 and he became a supplier of the fine silverware to royalty with people like
King Louis-Philippe and other prestigious people like Napoleon III commissioning lots of
different pieces.
As well as commissions from royalty, etc, the Christofle company created a massive 45,000
piece service set for the Normandie Ocean Liner which was produced in 1935.
The first part of the Musée Bouilhet-Christofle is devoted to the birth and development
of the Christofle Company and the historical evolution of the period from 1830 to 1880 and
these are based upon royal and imperial orders, plus the artistic movements such as
naturalism and Orientalism
The second part of the museum presents a vast collection of Christofle creations that take
you up until the First World War and include pieces in the Art Nouveau style.
Going further on through the displays you will get to see some very exquisite pieces that
were produced in the Art Deco style of the 1920's and 1930's, which some say are the best
pieces that this family company have ever produced. But all told, there are over
2000 pieces on display that have been produced by the Christofle company from its
inception.
Through six generations the Christofle Company is still in operation today and has been
situated on the same site since 1874. Built between the Canal Saint-Denis and the
Chemin de Fer du Nord, the Christofle plant is also the home of the only silverware museum in Paris and for anyone who has an interest or
curiosity into what people used within the kitchen and dining rooms should not miss this
fantastic display of silverware and kitchenware.
The wide variety of designs and private commissions are presented in an incredible and
extraordinary way and illustrate the techniques applied to the silverware, along with the
evolution of decorative arts how the table traditions have changed through the centuries
to the present day and you can even find explanations and examples of electroplating along
with the other techniques of the silversmith.
The Musée Bouilhet-Christofle, in the Saint Denis area just
outside of the City of Paris, is only open on a
Thursday and Friday from 9.30am to 1pm and in the afternoons from 2pm until 5.30pm.
It is always closed at the weekends and on national holidays
and on all other days unless prior arranged by appointment, so if you are thinking of
visiting this fantastic museum, it is advisable to check the availability first.
If you would rather have a full guided tour of the museum, then you would need to contact
the Saint Denis Tourist office on telephone: 1 55 87 08 70.
When we last checked, the full price for admission was only 5 Euros and free for children
under 16 years of age
Address & Contact Details:
Musée Bouilhet-Christofle (Museun is closed at present)
112 Rue Ambroise Croizat
Saint Denis
93206
France
Telephone: 1 49 22 40 40
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