Antique Enamelled Chalice with Silver Paten. France, Favier Frères, c. 1900

Antique chalice and paten set made in France around 1900 by the renowned silversmiths Favier Frères, accompanied by a later manufactured case, specially made and custom fitted for the ensemble. This is a particularly attractive chalice because of the quality of its decoration, the richness of its enamels and its magnificent visual presence on the altar. The ensemble preserves an elegant and very balanced aesthetic, with a highly successful combination of gilded and silvered surfaces together with engraved Eucharistic decoration, all within a design clearly conceived to stand out during liturgical celebration.

The cup of the chalice is made in gilded silver, while the stem and base are made in gilded and silvered metal. The paten is made entirely in silver. This combination was relatively common in good quality French chalices intended for frequent liturgical use, allowing visually rich and highly impressive pieces while maintaining a more contained cost than examples made entirely in silver. It is a chalice with a noble and elegant appearance, perfectly suitable for real liturgical use.

The paten, made entirely in silver, accompanies the ensemble with a very balanced presence and a sober and elegant aesthetic, perfectly matching the chalice. At its centre it presents an engraved cross surrounded by wheat sheaf decoration, a classic Eucharistic symbol, executed with clean and highly harmonious lines. The gilding preserves a good overall appearance, with that especially pleasant warm tone. As is usual in this type of object with more than a century of use, slight superficial traces of the passing of time are visible under reflected light, without affecting in any way either its functionality or its overall appearance. The reverse remains very well preserved, reinforcing the sensation of a careful and complete ensemble.

The base is probably the most striking part of the chalice and one of the elements that gives it the most personality. It presents an elegant lobed profile and especially careful execution, with an attractive interplay between gilded and silvered surfaces that provides visual depth and gives the ensemble tremendous presence when placed on the altar. The decoration is organised around three devotional enamel medallions with representations of Christ, the Virgin and Saint Joseph, framed within delicate gilded Neo-Gothic inspired cartouches.

The enamels are executed with great delicacy and stand out because of their vivid and elegant colours, dominated by blue, red, white and violet tones. Despite the small size of the plaques, the figures preserve good expressiveness and very pleasing modelling. The contrast between the enamels and the gilded and silvered surfaces provides enormous decorative richness to the ensemble. In two of the medallions small cracks caused by the passing of time can be observed, something relatively common in antique enamels of this type and period. These do not affect the stability of the plaques nor diminish the overall beauty of the piece in real display conditions, where the ensemble continues to preserve a magnificent and highly decorative appearance.

The rest of the base is enriched with engraved Eucharistic inspired decoration, where grape clusters, wheat sheaves and vegetal motifs appear executed with fine and highly elegant lines. All this ornamental work provides movement and visual richness to the ensemble, clearly placing it above simpler models of the period.

The stem presents a clean, proportioned and comfortable design in the hand, conceived for real liturgical use. The central knop facilitates a natural and elegant grip during celebration. The subcup once again develops engraved vegetal decoration and a silvered band with grape clusters and wheat sheaves, creating aesthetic continuity with the base and reinforcing the Eucharistic character of the ensemble. The interplay between gilded and silvered surfaces provides abundant light and gives the chalice especially attractive presence from any angle.

Clearly visible on the cup are the French export silver hallmarks with the head of the god Mercury, used on pieces intended for foreign markets. Beside them appears the silversmith mark "FF" with radiant heart, corresponding to Favier Frères, renowned silversmiths from Lyon active during the late 19th century. The paten likewise presents visible hallmarks coherent with the ensemble.

The overall condition is very good for its age. The chalice stands completely firm, without looseness or movement, and is ready for use from the very first moment. The interior of the cup preserves a clean and pleasant appearance. The ensemble is accompanied by a later manufactured case, specifically custom made for this chalice and its paten. Although it is not the original period case, it is perfect for protecting, storing and transporting the set safely.

French enamel chalices such as this are becoming increasingly difficult to find on the market, especially complete ensembles signed by recognised silversmiths. They are pieces highly sought after by priests, collectors and people looking for a different chalice with personality and true liturgical presence. Furthermore, the fact that it preserves the original paten and still maintains such an attractive appearance after more than a century greatly increases the interest of the ensemble.

Because of its size, design and aesthetic, it is an ideal chalice both for continued liturgical use and for someone seeking a special ordination piece or a beautiful and distinctive chalice for a lifetime. It possesses that combination of elegance, antiquity and visual presence that makes it stand out immediately compared to much more impersonal modern models.

Measurements: Height of chalice: 23 cm (9.06 in). Diameter of cup: 8.5 cm (3.35 in). Diameter of base: 13.8 cm (5.43 in). Diameter of paten: 13.4 cm (5.28 in). Weight of chalice: 470 g. Weight of paten: 84 g.