Gorgeous French Gilt Silver Légumier By Emile Puiforcat

An absolutely Gorgeous French Antique Gilt Silver or ‘Légumier’ or covered vegetable dish, by Emile Puiforcat in Paris.

The exceptional piece is decorated in the Regency Style, with a frieze of lambrequins on an ‘amati’ (or dulled) background.
The lid is particularly outstanding, topped by a magnificent rendition of a solid silver artichoke and turnips and their carved stalks and leaves out-flowing on the lid.
The ‘Frétels’ or finials were, quite often, if not most of the time, carved separately and attached to the lid by a silver bolt underneath.
This enabled the help to clean the silver properly! It is the case in this gorgeous piece.
The vermeil handles show a beautiful combed waves design with an arabesque on the lower part.
The Légumier comes with its solid gilt silver insert.
The vermeil (or 24 carat gold on top of solid silver) is in good condition.

It is quite large and very heavy (at 2.55 kg) and in excellent condition.
It could really be used either as a Soup or Stew Dish or for its original use.

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

The Makers Mark is for ‘Maître Orfèvre’ Emile PUIFORCAT.
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.

France 19th Century c.H: 7.67"W: 11.81"D: 3.14"Reference number: SH-316