Malmaison
Mar 9, 2020

Malmaison, the Empire collection from Christofle, features everything from silver cutlery to decorative objects. Objects, such as the iconic candelabra, picture frames, and the elegant champagne buckets, display the collections inimitable style and are present throughout all categories  of the Art of the table.

Flatware

Barware

Decoration

Tableware

Exceptional Materials

 

Malmaison Flatware

Delicate ornamentation, a palmette motif, symmetry in the decor: the Malmaison collection takes us back us to the very heart of Empire style, to the estate castle of the same name, the favored retreat of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais.

 

A masterpiece of exquisite finesse, this model is the perfect embodiment of refinement, a century-old heritage, and the unique craftsmanship of the Christofle house. An elegant and stately collection. Iconic

 

MALMAISON YESTERDAY AND TODAY

 

 

Named after the Château de la Malmaison, the favorite residence of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine, the Malmaison collection is characterised by its symmetrical motifs, alternating water leaves and palmettes, typical of the Empire style.

 

Under Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon I, the Empire style became fashionable again. For their sumptuous receptions in Paris and Biarritz, Empress Eugenie and Napoleon III called on Christofle, which became the official supplier to the imperial couple.

 

In 1909, during the effervescence of the Roaring Twenties, Christofle brought the Empire style up to date by creating the Malmaison Empire Collection, which was simply renamed Malmaison in the 1960s.

The Malmaison collection evokes Napoleon and Josephine. Malmaison is their castle, their first prestigious residence near Paris. Here the Empire style was born, a mixture of Roman clacisism and the return from Egypt. Symmetry. Exoticism. A conquering spirit softened by the feminine touch of the influential Josephine, who made it an elegant and timeless style.
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Discover the Malmaison Teapot in 3D

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WATER LEAVES AND PALMETTES

 

The Malmaison collection is characterised by its palmettes motifs and the elegant outline of water leaves such as the lotus leaves often used in the form of friezes. A recurring decorative element since antiquity, both in decoration and architecture, the palm leaf or palmette evokes the exoticism of ancient Egypt, the East that fascinates.

The use of gadroons and the symmetry of their arrangement give the silverware in the collection its emblematic appearance.

 

Malmaison Exceptional Materials

 

Exceptional piece in limited edition. This product is not available online, but we are at your disposal for any information by phone. For more information, please contact us at customer service.

 

Exceptional MaterialsExceptional Materials

THE ROYAL EAGLE

 

In the collection of table accessories, such as the champagne bucket, evocations of the eagle recall memories of Ancient Rome before becoming the imperial emblem. The eagle is also the symbol of the powerful Jupiter, often associated with power and military victories. This symbol, used on many pieces of the collection, gave birth to certain emblematic pieces such as the Malmaison saucer or the centrepiece, which are still among the most appreciated today.

 

200 years after Napoleon's death, the Malmaison style is still relevant, still refined, a combination of rigour and audacity, it crosses the ages and still gives the table as much allure, while sharing its imperial pleasures.

To find out which collection suits you best, tell us if you prefer...

MalmaisonMalmaison


SYMMETRICAL patterns

The EMPIRE style

Palmettes and royal EAGLES

The spectacular majesty of ANCIENT ROME

GEOMETRIC friezes

 

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ASYMMETRICAL patterns

Louis XV style, ROCOCO

ACANTHUS leaves and SHELLS

The graceful luxuriance of ANCIENT GREECE

Rounded forms, in MOVEMENT

 

Malmaison Impériale

 

Christofle takes the emblematic codes of the Malmaison model and interprets them in a modern and feminine version.​


You will find the flower of the handle hoods of Malmaison pieces.​
Each piece has its own decoration and thus allows you to vary your table according to the moments of tasting.​


In this first phase of the launch, Christofle is offering 6 pieces in two versions, one platinum and one gold. 

 

Malmaison Impériale CollectionMalmaison Impériale Collection

WHAT IS THE EMPIRE STYLE?

 

Period: from 1800 to 1820

Style: Majestic - spectacular - severe - rigorous - strongly Roman and Egyptian inspired.

Forms: Rigid - very symmetrical - with strict regularity.

Dominant ornaments: Water leaves - palmettes - Eagle - Sphinx - Ram - Swan necks.

Christofle models: Malmaison - Brienne (AM)