Francis 1st facts for kids
Francis 1st is a famous design for sterling silver tableware. It was created in the United States by a company called Reed & Barton. This special design was first made in 1906 and was named after King Francis I of France. The company stopped making new pieces with this design in 2019.
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The Unique Design of Francis 1st
This beautiful design was created by Ernest Meyer. He was a talented silversmith from France. It took him three years to finish the design!
Ernest Meyer wanted to make something truly amazing. He aimed to create a design that was even more impressive than the fancy metal art made by Benvenuto Cellini. Cellini was a famous artist who worked for King Francis I.
What Makes the Design Special?
The Francis 1st design is very special because of its unique look. Unlike most other tableware patterns, it has fifteen different designs. These designs show clusters of fruits and flowers. Each handle of the silverware has one of these detailed fruit and flower patterns.
Some people believe that the idea for this design came from an Italian company called Cesa 1882.
How Francis 1st Tableware Was Made
The Francis 1st flatware was made by Reed & Barton Silversmiths. This company produced the tableware in the United States. They even guaranteed their products for 100 years!
Identifying Francis 1st Pieces
Early pieces of Francis 1st tableware had a special mark on the back. This mark showed a lion, an eagle, and the letter “R”. People often called this mark the "Eagle-R-Lion." Around 1950, a new mark started to be used. This newer mark simply said “Reed and Barton.”
Famous Owners of Francis 1st
Did you know that three American Presidents owned the Francis 1st tableware? These Presidents were Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
