Bapst & Falize, representing the partnership of
Germain Bapst and
Lucien Falize, was based out of
Paris in the late 19th century within the
French Third Republic. The stores and workshops of the firm were situated at No. 6 rue d'Antin. By 1880, the Parisian jeweler Falize had partnered with Germain Bapst, a member of a lineage renowned for their roles as French court jewelers and an expert in gemstone history. Shortly after, Lucien from Bapst & Falize, in collaboration with
Léon Chédeville, designed a clock and a jewel modeled after a late Gothic tower. The piece was adorned with gold sculptures crafted by Chédeville and detailed with enamel plaques. It was executed by the firm for English collector
Alfred Morrison. The structural elements were made of silver, with figures in gold. The enamels used were translucent and depicted Church, Prayer, Law, Labour, Faith, and Charity. One dial displayed the hours, while the other was decorated with
cloisonné. The corners featured figures symbolizing Fortitude, Prudence, Justice, and Temperance. By 1885, the company started securing patents at the
National Office of Industrial Property for its innovations, encompassing various devices. On the 5th of December 1885, they applied for a patent to utilize elastic, metallic, or similarly flat or stamped plates for signal, alert, or call functions. They invented an improved
time alarm for watches and clocks, which received a Bapst & Falize patent in France in 1885 and in Belgium and Great Britain in 1886. Their 1886 application for the patent in the United States was approved on 12 June 1888. On 7 December 1886, L. Falize and G. Bapst patented a design for a
watchcase through the
U.S. Patent Office. At the
1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, Bapst and Falize exhibited various pieces in the French jewelry section at the
Champ de Mars. The 1889 Paris Exhibition also saw Bapst & Falize unveil a significant silver
candelabra, specifically designed for
Prince Demidoff. Additionally, their exhibit highlighted a chiseled silver table
centerpiece, a chiseled silver Renaissance-style
mantel clock, and "Urania", a
pendulum made from carved ivory, enamelled gold, and silver. Germain Bapst and Lucien Falize cordially terminated their
joint venture around 1892. In 1893, two works by Bapst & Falize were exhibited in Chicago at the
World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 under its "Metal Gold Work" category. This included an oval silver
Repoussé plate and a silver Repoussé bowl. ==See also==