Tea and Coffee Service

Jean E. Puiforcat

ca. 1922 · Silver, lapis lazuli, ivory, gold · Modern and Contemporary Art

Puiforcat's name is synonymous with Art Deco glamour; even in his day, the important French silversmith was renowned for the elegant, often mathematical simplicity of his geometric forms and the unexpected combination of flawless metalwork with brilliantly polished hard stones, semiprecious stones, or glass. This tea and coffee service shows one of Puiforcat’s earliest attempts to break away from the preceding generation’s taste for naturalism; the only vestiges are the lapis lazuli blossoms acting as knobs on the lids. The introduction of lapis lazuli on this service is decorative as well as practical, adding to the insulating effect of the ivory spacers that separate the handles from the hot pots; the hard-stone handles remain naturally cool to the touch.

Artist

Jean E. Puiforcat

Date

ca. 1922

Medium

Silver, lapis lazuli, ivory, gold

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1925