Elegant Set of 6 Antique Silver Salt Cellars by E Puiforcat~Sold~

Elegant set of six Antique French Silver Salt Cellars by ‘Maître Orfèvre’ Emile PUIFORCAT

These lovely French Silver open salt caddies or cellars are decorated in the Louis XV Style, with oval shapes resting on gadroon lined ‘piédouche’ or pedestal.
The main silver register is decorated with a simply elegant row of silver pearls and a center Shell (or Coquille) medallion.

The interior of the caddies or cellars are coated in 18 carat gold or ‘vermeillé’, which shows through the original clear glass inserts.
Six dainty spoons complete the set and are original to it. They show the same silver pearls lining as well as the shell like medallion.

The salt cellars and spoons are in very good condition, with only a very tiny chip on one of the interior glass cellars (not visible when the glass liners are in the silver holders), and come in their original presentation box.
The box is in excellent condition

Measures given above are for the salt Cellars. The spoons are 2.9 inches long.

The Hallmark is Minerve -1st title – 1838 -1919 -Paris

The Makers Mark is for Emile PUIFORCAT, and was registered in 1857; it features an E and a P separated by a standing feather.
The mark is still so famous it does deserve a bit more explanations:
Emile PUIFORCAT inherited the business from his uncle Jean Baptiste FUCHS who specialized in flatware in the early 1800s. Emile Puiforcat moved from the offices of his uncle right next door at number 18, then 16 of Rue Chapon. While he died in 1883, his mark was kept by his successor as well as his grandson Jean, who passed away in 1945.
Until the 1880 the House of Puiforcat remained in the flatware business, but expended into the larger pieces to include presentations plates and platters.
Though very praised for its craftsmanship PUIFORCAT never participated in the Fairs that did so much for the Silver business in the 1800. The house continued on through the years and was finally bought by Hermes in 1993.

H: 1.6"W: 1.8 / L 2.6"D: 1.3"Reference number: SST-138