Lot Essay
In the years that followed Puiforcat's success at the 1925 Paris Exposition, the cube became the basic form upon which his designs were executed. Later, mathematically calculated curved lines predominated his work, as evidenced in the rendering of the teapot, and sometimes, these lines determined the entire form, as is clearly seen in the teapot.
Jean E. Puiforcat contributed to the 'Decor de la Table' exhibition of 1930 and the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques in 1937. His contributions reflected his break with old-fashioned decoration and his incorporation of new simplified decorations which accentuated form and function, exemplified by the vermeil rings around the rock crystal handle of the teapot. Puiforcat did present the teapot with the rock crystal handle at the Exposition in 1937.
Subsequent to the Exposition, the teapot with the rock crystal handle was ordered several times up to the time of the war. Following the war, the teapot design was only produced with a verre optique handle; this combination can still be special ordered today.
cf. Françoise de Bonneville, Jean Puiforcat, 1986, pg. 116-117 for colored details of a similar teapot and p. 134 for a black and white profile of the model; Annelies Krekel-Aalberse, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Silver, p. 69 for a black and white illustration taken from L'Orfèvrerie françoise au 20ème siècle, by Tony Bouilhet.
Jean E. Puiforcat contributed to the 'Decor de la Table' exhibition of 1930 and the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques in 1937. His contributions reflected his break with old-fashioned decoration and his incorporation of new simplified decorations which accentuated form and function, exemplified by the vermeil rings around the rock crystal handle of the teapot. Puiforcat did present the teapot with the rock crystal handle at the Exposition in 1937.
Subsequent to the Exposition, the teapot with the rock crystal handle was ordered several times up to the time of the war. Following the war, the teapot design was only produced with a verre optique handle; this combination can still be special ordered today.
cf. Françoise de Bonneville, Jean Puiforcat, 1986, pg. 116-117 for colored details of a similar teapot and p. 134 for a black and white profile of the model; Annelies Krekel-Aalberse, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Silver, p. 69 for a black and white illustration taken from L'Orfèvrerie françoise au 20ème siècle, by Tony Bouilhet.