Maison Cardeilhac

Maison Cardeilhac, (France XIX century).
Bombonera silver.
With stamp on the base.
Measurements: 10 x 14 x 12 cm.

Maison Cardeilhac was one of the most prestigious French goldsmith houses, famous for its cutlery, jugs and tableware in solid silver and silver-plated metal.
The firm was founded in 1804 in Paris by Antoine-Vital Cardeilhac, a master goldsmith who knew how to combine traditional craftsmanship with the elegance of the neoclassical style of his time. From its beginnings, the workshop was distinguished by the quality of its workmanship and the purity of its lines.

During the second half of the 19th century, his son Ernest Cardeilhac took over the management and transformed the small workshop into an internationally recognized Maison d'Orfèvrerie.
Under his impetus, the firm participated in the Paris Universal Exhibitions of 1889 and 1900, where it won prizes and mentions for the finesse of its cutlery and the originality of its decorated jugs.

Cardeilhac's designs reflected the spirit of Art Nouveau: natural motifs, flowing curves, flowers, leaves and figures inspired by fauna. His jugs were especially prized, worked as sculptures with handles in the form of stems or mythological creatures, and hand-engraved relief bodies.
Each piece combined technical rigor with a poetic aesthetic that turned the everyday object into art.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the house continued to evolve and collaborated with designers such as Lucien Bonvallet and Jean Puiforcat, who brought a more modern and geometric air, a prelude to the Art Deco style.
These collaborations kept alive Cardeilhac's reputation as synonymous with luxury, precision and refinement. Finally, in 1951, Maison Cardeilhac was acquired by Christofle, another great name in French goldsmithing. Christofle kept Cardeilhac's models and molds, integrating them into its collections and ensuring the continuity of its artistic heritage.

The pieces signed Cardeilhac, especially his jugs, cutlery and candlesticks, are noted for their elegance, balance and technical excellence.
Its history represents more than a century of master craftsmanship, where art and functionality coexisted under the brilliance of silver.