Antique Chalice In Bronze And Silver With Gilt Paten. France, Circa 1900

This French liturgical set from the early 20th century, crafted around 1900, consists of a chalice in polished bronze and gilt silver, with a classic and elegant design, and a gilt silver paten engraved with Eucharistic motifs. It is a devotional piece signed by the prestigious liturgical goldsmith workshop Favier Frères, active in Lyon. Official French hallmarks and the maker's mark are clearly visible on both pieces.

The chalice features a sober and well-proportioned structure. The base and stem are made of solid polished bronze, turned in harmonious classical lines that evoke stability and the solemnity of the rite. The upper cup, crafted in high-quality gilt silver, retains its golden inner coating in excellent condition, with no loss of brightness or wear. This section bears official French silver hallmarks along with the maker’s mark of the renowned Favier Frères workshop, ensuring authenticity and origin. The bronze base is adorned with a finely incised cross, simple yet elegant, perfectly integrated into the whole. The chalice measures 23 cm in height, with a base diameter of 12.3 cm and a cup diameter of 7.8 cm. Its total weight is 525 grams, providing a solid and stable presence, ideal for liturgical use.

The accompanying paten is entirely made of gilt silver and bears the same hallmarks and maker’s mark. Its center features an elegant engraved cross with grape clusters and vine leaves — classic Eucharistic symbols — finely executed with ornamental richness. This motif enhances both the beauty and the spiritual depth of the piece. The paten measures 13.7 cm in diameter and weighs 96 grams. It shows minor deformations on the reverse, which do not affect functionality or stability when laid flat. These signs of age add to the authenticity of a genuinely used liturgical piece.

This set is ideal for anyone seeking an authentic, historical, and functional object, perfectly preserved and ready for use or display. With refined craftsmanship, devotional value, and guaranteed origin, it is highly desirable for collectors and religious institutions alike. It would be perfect for reintroduction into Church service.

Measurements: Chalice: 23 × 12.3 × 7.8 cm (9.06 × 4.84 × 3.07 in); Paten: Ø 13.7 cm (5.39 in). Weight: Chalice: 525 g; Paten: 96 g.

History of Favier Frères

Favier Frères was a prestigious liturgical silversmith house established in Lyon, France, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Lyon, known not only for its textile production but also for sacred art, hosted numerous workshops specializing in high-quality liturgical objects. Among them, Favier Frères stood out for its technical and aesthetic excellence, combining tradition with refined and functional design.

The workshop produced chalices, patens, monstrances, ciboria, and other sacred vessels, often in silver or bronze and gilt silver, featuring engraved or repoussé details such as crosses, grape motifs, and plant symbolism rooted in Eucharistic iconography. Their items usually carried official French hallmarks — a legal requirement since the mid-19th century — making them easily identifiable and catalogued.

Favier Frères thrived during a revival of religious silversmith in France, amidst the sacred art movement of the Belle Époque and the liturgical embrace of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romanesque styles. Their works were highly valued both in France and abroad and are still sought after today by collectors, antique dealers, and religious communities.

Thanks to their quality, symbolic meaning, and functionality, Favier Frères pieces are prized testaments of early 20th-century sacred craftsmanship and continue to inspire admiration.

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