Cutlery Set Gioconda, Phillippe Wolfers 1923-25, 950\% Sterling Silver

Extremely rare cutlery set in sterling silver in the Art Deco style, of the legendary "Gioconda" pattern , created by the famous goldsmith, jeweler and sculptor Philippe Wolfers (1858-1929). This artist was especially famous for these Art Nouveau creations which are in the greatest museums of the world. This abundant production of luxury objects came to an abrupt end because of the First World War. After the Great World War, the artistic world only slowly got back to work and the great exhibition of decorative arts in Paris in 1925 was probably the first great opportunity for designers to reconnect with the major trends that were already clearly visible before the war. In 1923, Philippe Wolfers created a large set of furniture, crystalware, crockery, cutlery and tableware in a resolutely modernist style to participate in the competition organized for participation in the Belgian pavilion. The jury was so impressed by the quality of the project that it reserved the most beautiful piece of the Belgian pavilion for this magnificent ensemble: the black marble pavilion, designed by Victor Horta, an internationally renowned Belgian architect who, like Philippe Wolfers, passed on to him also with great success from the Art Nouveau or Aesthetic style to the modern or Art Deco style. The forms of this set called "Gioconda" are such a success that they will be manufactured and marketed until far into the ´50s. Our set dates from the first edition of this legendary set between 1923 and 1925. The cutlery bears the "large hallmarks" as they are called in the internal communication of the Wolfers workshops because they are larger in size and of a different shape than the punches usually used by Wolfers workshops. The purity of the silver cutlery is also adapted to the French public for this great occasion and therefore amounts to 950% instead of the usual 800%. Each piece is engraved with two initials BC. 12 dinner forks 12 dinner spoons 12 dinner knives 12 cheese knives 12 fish forks 12 fish knives 12 fruit knives 12 teaspoons 1 butter knife 1 pâté knife 98 pieces in total