CC or OC: CHRISTOFLE company - a bee and three stars

Christofle company has been founded by Charles Christofle in 1830 and still exists.
Charles Christofle is well-known for obtaining the silver and gold plating patent in 1842. He could make some articles with the esthetics features of silver.
Christofle Company worked for the King Louis-Philippe, the Emperor Napoléon III, the Tsar of Russia and many more.
Its reputation is international. It produces works in many different arts such as silver tableware, decoration and jewelry.
The first workshops are installed in Paris, Saint-Denis (1877), in Normandie (1990) and all over the world.

Christofle marks are different depending on the material and evolved over time.

⦁ Marks on silver:
– 1832: the first mark registered is a rifle bayonet and the initials CC for Charles Christofle.

– 1853: the mark becomes a bee, three stars and the initials CC for “Christofle et compagnie” in an long hexagonal shape.

– Since 1935 the shape is a lozenge, OC replaces CC for “Orfèvrerie Christofle”. The symbols doesn’t change.

⦁ Marks on gilt and silver-plated:
From 1844 to 1935 : the symbol is a scale, a bee, four stars, two branches and the letters CC, in an oval then a rectangular shape.

Since 1935 CC is replaced by OC meaning “Orfèvrerie Christofle” and a chess rider in the middle of a square shape.

In 1983 the last mark is changed, the chess rider is on the right, the letters OC are in the bottom left and an I in the top left of the square.