posted 05-13-2003 12:01 AM            

What has been mostly ignored is 'Alfénide' as the name of an actual company. But the answer to whether there was such a company and if so its start, production, end, etc. are essential to understanding what the term represented at different times. I believe that there was such a company though I'm not ready yet to make any big bets on it.

My earlier notion that such a company existed prior to 1871 is based on a rather different bit of 'evidence' from what we are used to. In 1871 a youthful Arthur Rimbaud (shortly to become a major figure of French poetry) wrote a poem ending in:

Sers-nous, ô Farceur, tu le peux,
Sur un plat de vermeil splendide
Des ragoûts de Lys sirupeux
Mordant nos cuillers Alfenide!

Now, poetry appreciation always was a subject where I was left at the bottom of the class, no matter what the language. So I won't attempt to explain this; just translating this last verse is enough of a challenge:

Serve us, O Joker, you can do it,
On a splendid vermeil platter
A syrupy stew of Lilies
That bites our Alfenide spoons!

I believe the stuff corrodes the spoons, or is it the poet that bites into them?? Persevering nonetheless, notice that the 'Alfenide' is capitalized while all other adjectives aren't, so it refers to a proper name - that of the maker of the spoons? That is, at the least, a reasonable supposition. Now for a seventeen year old versifier, raised on a farm in the Ardennes, to be aware of the brand name of spoons is rather surprising (even though poets are different). The brand must have been very well known, not only for the poet to be aware of it, but for him to expect his hoped for audience to recognize it.

From ten years later (1.Oct.1881) is the notice in the Brazilian business paper which I already mentioned in the other thread:
"..Propriedade exclusiva da Société des Couverts Alfénide...)"

Now this looks unmistakably a French name, a company that in 1881 already has an export business to Brazil. No poetic license here! Although, admittedly, it could be the export subsidiary of a parent with a totally different name in the domestic market. If so, then whose?

A few patchy references to 'Orfèvrerie Alfénide' in auctions I'll skip; some people do not have boundless faith in their descriptive accuracy. One however I do want to quote. It is a two session event, put together by a major auction firm, that centered on maritime memorabilia with a good number of items from the 'NORMANDIE'.This, for those not aware of it, was France's pride during the 2nd half of the 1930's. It supposedly was the most luxurious liner ever built and for a few years held the blue ribband for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. That would be a group of articles not to be trifled with by any French company so I expect the descriptions to be carefully chosen. It included tableware from all three passenger classes :

- 1st class : Orfèvrerie CHRISTOFLE
- 2nd class : Orfèvrerie ERCUIS
- 3rd class : Orfèvrerie ALFENIDE

Remember that according to Suzanne's papers dual-marking was outlawed as of 1878.

posted 05-13-2003 11:17 AM            

1. Mappin's "EPNS..." attributes the square ALFE NIDE mark to "Societe Anonyme des Converts Alfenide" in Paris. He also indicates, in the first paragraph of his book, that "while every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, it is not possible to go back to source to verify every mark." Could he have meant Société Anonyme des Couverts Alfénide (Alfenide Cutlery Co.)?

2. Any connection between ALFE NIDE and Alphen, ?alphen, Halphen? Were these all marks used by some sham Christofle puppet named Alfenide Cutlery Co.? Organized in 1878 after Christofle could no longer use the ALFE NIDE mark? Out of business in 1935?

3. I have found no evidence of the use of the ALFE NIDE mark after 1935. Also note that Christofle apparently changed all of their solid silver and silverplate marks in 1935. Coincidence? What happened in 1935?

4. The S.S. Normandie connection is rather tenuous, at least to me. Can anyone post a photo of the marks on the Normandie third-class flatware or holloware? The proof is in the marks.

Perhaps the Christofle archive in St. Denis has the answer. My local libraries sure don't. If only I knew someone who was planning to go there soon ...

posted 05-15-2003 01:56 AM            

My photocopy "Tresor" has info regarding the SS Normandie (and other "veritable floating palaces" as well.) I'll paraphrase and provide more detailed translation later,if you want it

"The Veritable Floating Palaces...

In france, the start of the big navigation companies was not easy. Lots of skepticism remained until the Second Empire... when the french found that they had to move quickly to compete with the British and German companies who were now provided comfort and luxury for their privileged passengers. The first luxury liners offered only a second class and were furnished via by a silversmith supplied by Christofle. Not until 1852 did the liners provide their clients with a prestigious restaurant or salon. The launching of the "Pereire" and the "L'Impératrice Eugéne" (in 1864 and 1866) marked the birth of the grand liners created for the transport of passengers. Then came the "Napoleon III" (also in 1866.)

In the 1870's, always influenced by the British, the size of the liners increased considerably and the class of service extended to not only a luxurious first class and a second class, but also a third class to profit from the immigration of the majority of their passengers to Australia and The United States.

So in 1882 the "Normandie" offered 157 first class places and for the first time it was possible to speak of a "veritable floating palace." Total comfort was afforded the First Class passengers and, of course, the dining room was equipped by Christofle. Though fewer in number, the first class aristocrat and bourgeois passengers spent lots of money... The silver made for the "Normandie" carries the engraving of C.G.T. (which stands for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique - created under the Second Empire, as previously stated.)

Tableware and sugar tongs were created for the Normandie in 1926 under the name "Atlantic" and after 1928 under the name "Continental."

From Suzanne: The "Tresor" did not go into much detail concerning the second or third class silverware, or what names the "silversmith supplied by Christofle" used on the pieces. I have some photos of pieces used on the liners. Do you have anything to post as photo for me to match up?

posted 05-15-2003 04:09 AM            

The names of its services (seemingly a total design covering china, flatware, etc.) were: 'TransAT' for 1st, 'NEUILLY' for 2nd and 'SIRIUS' for 3rd. At least that's what the auction catalog says - you may want to look at it - the link is in the above post.

posted 05-23-2003 11:38 AM            

"..Coincidence? What happened in 1935?"
Maybe the previous (to 1983) regulation on silverplate? I don't know.

I contacted the German company whose site I quoted in the previous thread (..carrying 'watches, jewelery and alfenides',..). Their reply is that they understood it to be '.. articles made out of Silver such as bowls, vases, ..'. Sounds like a definitely local usage.

posted 05-26-2003 12:37 PM            

I have a set of fish knives/forks marked as follows. On the stem "CASA MUZARD", and on the base of the fork, two stamps: first "ALFA NIDE" in a rectangle; and second, within a square stamp, a diamond with a goat's head. Casa Muzard was a French family company in Chile trading in imported luxury goods which was formally set up in 1865 and lasted to 1963.

I also have some pieces of a different service marked similarly ALFA NIDE and also with the goat's head. On the larger pieces the goat's head is flanked by the numbers 8 and 4. On the desert spoons, the number is 6 and 0.

To ignorant me, this suggests Alfa Nide was the maker while the goat's head was some form of control for the silver plate. But do the numbers 84 and 60 imply that two different qualities were used in the same service?

Can anyone tell me more about the goat's head mark?

Whether ALFA NIDE was a maker and/or an alloy I can't say, except to note that these pieces show none of the wear through to a base metal which I often see on well-used silver plate.

I understant there was considerable interest in finding a silver alloy in the 19th century. I also have some spoons which semm to be of a very similar material. These are marked with two stamps on the bowl: on the left in a square "METAL BLANC IX" and on the right "BEL VES 15 GR". Any comment would be most appreciated.

posted 05-26-2003 05:21 PM            

The square mark that you mention is most likely the maker's registered mark. Re. 'Metal Blanc' check Doobee's comment in the old thread. As for the meaning of '84' and '60' we can only speculate unless 'someone' can find a source for earlier standards. Definetely not trying to rush you, Suzanne. Take your time and go when you are prepared and your intuition tells you that the whole world is going to be nice to you that day.

In the meantime, a possibility is that '84' was the standard weight for main pieces and '60' permissible for less used ones.

posted 05-27-2003 11:02 PM            

I also believe that most French silver plate has at least two marks: one for the maker and one for the quality or material etc.

What is confusing me is what are maker's marks and what are marks (official or otherwise) indicating quality or material.

Thus in the case of pieces with the Goat's head mark and the Alfe Nide mark, the absence of "Christofle" or the OC balance mark suggests that these pieces are not Christofle. Why should this company want to produce quality items without wanting to take the credit for them?

Therefore I am wondering whether the goat mark is some sort of quality standard - perhaps indicating a type of silver alloy which might also have been employed by Christofle if using this material - and whether ALFE NIDE is the maker's mark.

posted 05-28-2003 02:05 AM            

Cat. 56 : Collezionismo, curiosità & oggetti vari
(Posate) Couverts & Petite Orfèvrerie ALFENIDE. -. Posaterie, ecc. Paris, 1933, 4° br. cop. ...

It appears to be a 14 page 1933 French catalogue of flatware and small pieces, described as "completely illustrated". Much as I am becoming fascinated by Alfenide, I don't stretch to 44 euros. Make of it what you will, I just thought I'd pass this on. The shops e-mail is the bottom line. The item is 891.

posted 05-28-2003 03:26 AM            

quote:

---

MODERN ART OF METALWORK
ed. by the Bröhan Museum.

598 pages, approx. 600 pics, all color, showing metalwork from art nouveau, art deco and modernism. Contains items from all over the world: Belgium (Delheid Freres, Van de Velde, Wolfers Freres), Denmark (Mogens Balin, Dragsted, Hansen, Hingelberg, Georg Jensen, Michelsen, Nielsen), Germany (Peter Behrens, Bruckmann, Buchrucker, Gerhardi & Co, Koch & Bergfeld, Orion, Orivit, WMF and many more), France (Bing, Edgar Brandt, Cardeilhac, Daurat, Fauré, and more), Great Britain (Liberty, Dresser, Ashbee, Benson), Netherlands (Eisenlöffel, Gerofabriek and more), Austria (Berndorf, Hagenauer, Klinkosch, Pollak, Wiener Werkstätte), Sweden (Hallberg), Spain (Santacana), Czech Republic (Bibus & Sohn, Sandrik), USA(Alcoa, Russel Wright). Gives all marks in photographies, artists biographies, biographical references.

---

posted 06-03-2003 09:26 PM            

The bookshop is certainly in Italy, but the title seems to be "Couverts & Petite Orfèvrerie ALFENIDE." Published in Paris in 1933.

It has 14 pages and is completely illustrated. The covers are light card and the size is quarto - double the page size of a normal novel.

Anything less and you can ask for your money back. And, sorry, the item number is 892.

posted 06-06-2003 04:53 PM            

We'll get there yet, one little bit at a time.

posted 06-09-2003 07:21 PM            

Métal Blanc = silverplate! The information, was taken from the 1991 "Dossier de l'Art" publication about Christofle. I had time to translate and digest the whole 75 pages yesterday and it clears up many questions:

"Nickel, zinc and copper are the base materials for Maillechort which is also called "alpaca," "métal Blanc" and "alfenide."

As for the much discussed "alfenide." The story goes like this: "In 1853 a new alloy was introduced by Français Levallois and put to use by Charles Halphen... Rather than invest personally in the fabrication of this alloy, Charles Christofle signed a contract with Halphen. Under this arrangement, Christofle created the designs and then Halphen's factory on the rue de Bondy in Paris fabricated the as yet unplated Maillechort pieces - which were then sent to Christofle to be silverplated.

In the majority of cases before 1867 and in all cases after 1867 the Chrustofle designed pieces, made by Halphen, and then silverplated by Christofle bore the dual marks of Alfenide (the name Halphen used for Maillechort) and Christofle. Maillechort pieces not designed by or for Christofle bore only the "Alfenide" mark.

The contract was dissolved in 1878, when Christofle constructed the most modern nickel factory in France - at St. Denis in Paris. From that point onward, Christofle fabricated it's own Maillechort pieces and named the alloy "Métal Blanc." His next factory in Yainville, near Rouen, France was entirely devoted to Christofle's "Métal Blanc." Halphen's fabrication on rue de Bondy continued under the single mark of "Alfenide."

Another question laid to rest in the document relates to the mention of the "société" that decided on the Métal Blanc and Christofle dual marks. "The société (referred to as the Société Christofle) was the name used when referring to the entire Christofle enterprise composed of 1,300 employees, three factories, and numerous stores and manufacturer's representatives around the world."

Does this help clear it all up, or are there still questions that need to be answered re: Alfenide, alfenide?

------------------
Suzanne D

posted 06-09-2003 11:14 PM            

Of course, I have a few more questions:

" ... Christofle constructed the most modern nickel factory in France ..."
What does 'nickel factory' mean? Nickel is mined, then the ore refined, after which it goes into various alloys. What did the Chr. factory do? Produce the alloy, sheets, blanks or the finished and plated flatware?

What is Halphen's contribution to the alloy as opposed to Maillot et Chorier?

What about Ruolz? Does it mention either the man or the products and processes named after him? Christofle supposedly acquired patents both from the Elkingtons and from Druoz - any info on that?

What was the difference in the processes?

I'm sure that some more questions will come up. But you have answered those central to these recent discussions. Thanks again!

posted 06-10-2003 12:14 AM            

I bow my head to the experts, but in this case I am still not convinced that the goat is a Christofle mark and your research suggests to me it was the mark of Charles Halfen's post 1878 independent operation.

I have two general questions for the Forum:

Does anyone know for certain of any Christofle which is NOT marked Christofle?

posted 06-10-2003 12:51 AM            

See:

• Christofle goat head mark.
• Christofle factory / Halphen / Ruolz.