Fidelio By Christofle

Although he started his career as a jeweler in 1830 — after apprenticing with his copper jeweler brother-in-law years earlier — Charles Christofle (1805–63) recognized that Second Empire France had an untapped audience for luxury silverware and tableware.

Gold and silver gilt had been the high-end standard in the 18th century, yet society after the Industrial Revolution demanded a more affordable, but still refined, approach. So in the 1840s, Christofle cornered the market on electrolytic gilding and silver plating, dominating the hold on patents in the country for over a decade. His work soon attracted the attention of Louis-Philippe I and then Napoleon III, under whom he was named Fournisseur de l’Empereur, cementing the prestige of his brand.

While Christofle created decadent centerpieces and tableware for the French palaces — as well as prominent clients like the Orient Express — the company’s electroplating of silverware that was far less expensive than that made by silversmiths attained widespread popularity. At a time when many who could not afford gold or silver still used wooden utensils, Christofle was a game changer for at-home dining. An appearance at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago furthered the company’s reach to American consumers who would soon rival the manufacturer’s European clientele.

The 20th century saw Christofle adapting to changing tastes in its offerings, such as the Aria collection, which debuted in 1985 with column-like lines on its flatware designed by Bernard Yot, and the playful egg-shaped silverware container introduced in 2015 that opens to reveal a full flatware set. The company also now sells barware, home accessories and even jewelry, harkening back to its roots. Now almost two centuries old, Christofle maintains its reputation as a leading flatware and silverware company under the ownership of the Chalhoub group, its utensils gracing tables in homes, hotels and restaurants all over the world.

Shop authentic Christofle serveware, ceramics, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.

Sheffield silverplate is a durable combination of thin silver sheets and comparatively thicker sheets of copper that was used to create a variety of household objects for years. On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate and other silverplate for all of your formal dining and entertaining needs.

A cutler named Thomas Boulsover, who worked for a cutlers company in Sheffield, England, accidentally invented what we now call Sheffield silverplate during the 1700s. While working on a decorative knife for a customer — the metalworkers guild had been tasked with repairing its handle — Boulsover mistakenly overheated the silver and noticed that the knife’s layers of silver and copper melded together, creating an impressive bond. This new material felt like silver but was substantially cheaper. It was then used to produce a variety of serveware, candlesticks, buttons, tea sets and more. For families that couldn’t afford the sterling-silver tureens that were used to serve soup in the upper-class English homes at the time, this was good news. They could impress guests with housewares that looked like sterling silver but actually weren't.

Today, just as pewter collectibles and sterling silver are popular with collectors at neighborhood flea markets, antique Sheffield silverplate housewares are sought after for their appearance and rich history. Sheffield silverplate can command high prices on the secondhand market.

Securing yourself a Sheffield silverplate piece is like acquiring a little bit of history. In order to identify authentic Sheffield silverplate, you need to look for one significant attribute of the material. A metalworker had to ensure that all of the exposed edges of a particular piece had to be covered with a rim of silver. If not, the middle layer, which comprised copper, would show through. This would reveal that the piece was not sterling silver.

Don’t just trot out your matching crystal, silver and porcelain once or twice a year. Make a habit of mixing high and low when setting the table. To pair with your everyday contemporary tableware, find antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate on 1stDibs as well as silverplate by goldsmith and tableware companies such as Christofle, Elkington & Co. and more.