Malmaison cutlery, silver plated

The Christofle Malmaison collection is a fancy range of silverware, porcelain, and table accessories that show off the grand and fancy style of the Napoleonic Empire. Made by the Parisian expert silversmith Christofle, this collection has been very popular since it first came out in 1967. It is known for its clear shapes, perfect balance, and designs from history. Whether you're using it for big events or just to add a bit of fancy style to your home, the Christofle Malmaison collection is bound to make an impression.

Named after the Chateau de la Malmaison, a big house in the French countryside near Paris, the Malmaison collection gets its inspiration from the Empire style. This style came to be during the time Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, were in charge. The Empire style started after the Directoire style, moving away from the fancy Baroque to start a new phase of Classicism. It shows big, impressive elements from the old Greek and Roman times, leaving behind the playful designs of the Rococo for more orderly lines and balanced designs.

There are three historical designs that are key to the Empire style: the Anthemion, the Palmette, and the Eagle. The Anthemion, or the palmette frieze, is a design element that alternates pictures of palm leaves and lotus flowers connected by little vines. The Palmette is a balanced design of a palm leaf, taking after Greek and Roman styles, and you can see it a lot in the design inside the Castle Malmaison. The Eagle, standing for military strength, is mainly used in the main pieces of the Malmaison collection.