Henri Soufflot

Here at O’Reilly’s, we pride ourselves on having an interesting collection of Irish and English silver in each auction, but this month we have a particularly nice lot of silver all the way from France. Lot 480 is an impressive antique French coffee service, comprising a coffee pot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and a teapot, together with a silver plated serving tray.

Silver has a long history in the decorative arts in France, with the first appearance noted in the 12th century. However, it was not until the reign of King Louis XIV in the 17th century the silver became a popular and sought after material. Louis XIV’s throne in Versailles was even made out of silver - which he had melted down in 1689 as the country was in a financial crisis due to the Nine Years’ War! Due to the demand by the king to have large pieces of silver melted to contribute to the French economy, many silver items from this time are hard to come by and are highly-valued. This contributes to the desire to keep later French silver items intact as so many earlier were lost to this edict, particularly when they are as beautiful and highly detailed as Lot 480.

The coffee service bears the maker’s mark ‘HS’ with a rising sun and a star in a lozenge shape. This mark is for Paris silversmith Henri Soufflot based at 89 Rue de Turbigo and was registered on 12th April 1884. The mark we see on our service was struck off on 30th April 1910, meaning it is pre 1910. Interestingly, France is considered to have the earliest hallmarks and maker's marks on gold and silver in Europe! Hallmarking officially began in France in 1260 under the rule of King Louis IX, though there were some attempts made as early as 1238.

This coffee service is a quintessential example of late 19th century / early 20th century silver in France. Covered with natural forms of leaves and flowers, the Art Nouveau style is undeniable throughout the service. This lot is a must-have for anyone looking to expand their silver collection and branch out to the continent.