Maison Georges Lenfant (founded 1900)

The Maison Georges Lenfant was a French jewelry firm owned and operated by Georges Lenfant and his son Jacques in the 20th century.

Georges started working in jewelry as a young man and in 1900 opened his own workshop at 47 rue des Petits-Champs, in close proximity to other prestigious jewelry shops on Place Vendome and Rue de la Paix. By 1903 he was listed in important publications of the Revue de la Bijouterie, Joaillerie, Orfevrerie cementing his acceptance amongst his peers. More so, in 1909 he established his own makers mark which he would use to stamp his jewelry which stood out for its design and craftsmanship. Lenfant’s workshop was also asked by the larger jewelry houses, such as Cartier, Mellerio dits Meller and Van Cleef & Arpels, to produce pieces on their behalf which they retailed therefore the maker’s mark allowed him to retain his identity.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Jacques Lenfant (dates unknown) joined the firm in 1915 when he was 11 years old. The younger Lenfant would eventually continue his father’s legacy and herald the company into a new era. As the workshop continued to grow their relationships with outside firms prospered, it was important for the company to remain its artistic independence as well. This was where Jacques contribution was highly valued because he completed a 4-year degree at L’Ecole nationale supérieure des Arts décoratifs and completed drawing and designing apprenticeships in France, Germany, England and Vienna. This appreciation for the arts inspired important collaborations and informed business decisions, like when the Georges Lenfant company acquired Gustave-Roger Sandoz’s company in 1927 but agreed to leave his son, Gerard Sandoz as the artistic director. Sandoz, recognized for his avant- garde style that defined the Art Deco era, together with L’Enfant created many significant pieces of jewelry.

The Lenfant company continued to expand throughout the 1930s and 40s by acquiring companies such as Verger Freres therefore leading to a partnership with Vacheron Constantin, who had been working with Verger Freres, and together they produced pieces for Hermes. While an astute businessman, Jacques also was interested in designing jewelry, and throughout the later part of his career, from the 1950s to the 1970s, he became recognized for his sophisticated goldwork, namely his signature chain pieces which often incorporated different textures and complex link structure. His fascination with construction of the chain link led to him producing over three thousand pieces as well as the publication of a book, Le livre de la chaîne. Paris: Editions Scriptar, 1996.

In 2003, Georges Lenfant was bought by Bouder and ceased to operate.