Brief History of Chantilly

It all began with the issuance of patent number 24508 on July 30, 1895. This patent was for a pattern designed by William Christmas Codman. This design wasn't well received at first so in 1904 it was given a slight re-design and from there it took off to become the best-selling sterling flatware pattern ever.

The design is pure French Rococo with its S-curves yet subtle American attention to detail. It is a contradiction in terms that apply equally - simple yet ornate. It looks as beautiful with the most fanciful of china patterns as it does with the plainest. It can grace a formal dinner table setting as easily as it can a breakfast for two.

The original design had an applied scroll edge to many pieces and this feature was removed in the re-design. I have divided the Chantilly pattern into three time periods: (1) 1895-1903, the original design with approximately 103 different pieces (2) 1904 to 1949 - redesigned line with over 300 pieces and (3) 1950 to present with approximately 188 pieces. In addition there are many variations which will be future topics.

Here is a copy of the original patent (click on picture to enlarge):