Do you remember the moment you decided to become a silversmith?
A goldsmith friend urged me to pursue this path. He must have noticed some abilities in me. He passed on to me his love of the craft and taught me to see its potential. You can do whatever you want with metal, there are always solutions to a problem.
Does your workshop specialise in any particular technique?
It is rare to find a single structure that brings together all the silversmith's trades. At my level, I try to do everything in-house: polishing, welding, metal shaping, you name it, we'll do it! We are the last workshop in Paris to work on the cutlery, making silver knives with a hollow handle.
©Silvère Leprovost
What do you particularly enjoy about silversmithing?
Its diversity: never doing the same thing and the diversity of metals. I also enjoy taking on new projects: designing, thinking, trying to find the best possible solutions that will suit the customer's idea. These kinds of exciting projects occupy my mind 24 hours a day.
How does silversmithing relate to where you work?
We make pieces for dinners and christenings – many major life events. Our work is tightly linked to Catholic culture. But traditions change and so does our work. For example, wedding lists are no longer part of our demand. These days our clients are mainly antique dealers or collectors.