The Mavelot collection keychains are a tribute to the greatest clients of the Maison Christofle since 1830. The intertwined initials of these illustrious characters are inspired by the monograms designed by Charles Mavelot in 1680. Discover the stories of these customers who have contributed to the influence of our House.
Louis Philippe
Louis Philippe Ier, King of France from 1830 to 1848, was already a client of the jeweler Christofle and was one of the first customers of the company. In 1844, he ordered a complete silver-plated service for his Château d'Eu in Normandy, which was a royal residence.
This first famous order allowed Christofle to become the king's goldsmith in 1846. During their visits, the European courts discovered Christofle's know-how. From then on, his initials "LP" were immortalized by a piece of the goldsmith's house that the French king had always supported.
Blanche de Païva
The Marquise Blanche de Païva is the most famous courtesan of the Second Empire. The mysteries that she carefully maintained fed her myth. She fled her native Russia and settled in Paris. Wishing to enter the nobility, she became a courtesan and then a demi-mondaine and married the Marquis de Païva.
From then on, she held a salon in Paris which attracted the entire artistic social community. To show her social success, she had one of the most beautiful private mansions built in Paris, on the Champs-Elysées. A demonstration of wealth and power, the palace is an example of the refinement and luxury of the mid-19th century. La Païva used the greatest talents and called upon Christofle to create sculptures by Carrier-Belleuse.
Henri d'Orléans
Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, born in 1822, is King Louis Philippe's son.
During the exile of the Orleans family in England, the Duke devoted himself to his love of the arts and began a career as a collector. He dreamed of reconstituting the collection of his grandfather, Philippe d'Orléans, who owned nearly 500 paintings by masters. Upon his return to France, the Duke of Aumale devoted himself to the restoration and decoration of his castle of Chantilly,
which became the showcase of his formidable collection.
In 1874, he commissioned an exceptional piece from Christofle, a divided enamel pedestal table by Emile Reiber in a Japanese style. To celebrate his role as a patron of the arts and a major customer of the company, Christofle dedicated a Mavelot key chain to him with his initials "HO".
Eugénie de Montijo
Eugenie de Montijo became Empress of the French following her wedding to Napoleon III in 1853 and brought a breath of fresh air to the court of the Second Empire. She supported the arts, fashion, and jewelry, encouraging unprecedented industrial innovation. The Empress also sponsored balls and sumptuous imperial parties that contributed to the diffusion of the culture, the know-how, and the "French art of living".
During these celebrations, she exposed sparkling crystal, Sèvres porcelain... and above all Christofle silversmith! Christofle pays tribute to him by creating a Mavelot key chain that doubles his initial, "EE", as on the facades of the Louvre Museum, in accordance with the royal tradition of keeping only the initial of the first name of the head.
Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart
Marie Adrienne Anne Victurnienne Clémentine de Rochechouart de Mortemart
was born in Paris in 1847. She is the great-granddaughter of the famous Veuve Clicquot. She became the Duchess of Uzès and had a deep impact on her era, thanks to her multiple talents and her avant-garde spirit.
The Duchess is at the same time writer, musician, sculptor, and feminism pioneer
by fighting for the recognition of women's rights. She was the first woman in France to obtain a driver's license and founded the Feminine Automobile Club at the age of 79. She called upon Christofle to decorate her car. It is therefore quite natural that the goldsmith chose the initials "AU" of Anne d'Uzès for a Mavelot key chain.
Customize
Just like these great clients, Christofle offers you the opportunity to create your own Mavelot to embellish your events by choosing your initials
(project delivery 4 months, minimum order of 200 pieces for the same initials).
