Early E. Dehillerin Copper Bowl

Late Victorian

Circa 1890–1910 | France

A rare antique hammered copper bowl to beat egg whites from the eponymous brand in French copper cookware, who still lives its motto ‘Modest assistance in the promotion of French cuisine’ over 200 years since it was first established in Paris by Eugene de Hillerin (see The Gen). This hammered copper bowl is made from a very heavy gauge copper, has a rolled rim and the original brass ring to hang when not in use. It dates from the late nineteenth century and is a wonderful early piece from the most famous kitchen shop in the world beloved by everyone, especially Julia Child!

DIMENSIONS: Diameter 27 cm, Height 12.5 cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Inscribed with the Dehillerin Linear mark ‘DEHILLERIN RUE COQUILLIERE PARIS’. For more information on the history of marks see the wonderful and indispensable resource Vintagefrenchcopper.com. I go there often to learn all about French copper.

CONDITION: In very good condition, wear consistent with an antique age and use. This bowl could be polished and used or left with its patina and kept as a decorative piece. The choice is yours.

All my antique copper comes in as found ‘unrestored’ condition with the years of history retained in the lovely patina created by surface marks made by ordinary kitchen use. The choice then becomes yours whether to have the item polished, or the tin relined, and a decorative item can once more become a treasured new kitchen utensil to be loved and used by a new gen. At times an item may already have been lovingly polished by a previous owner and the copper will show off its rosy glow. Whether polished or not, the patina adds to the history of the item and wonder of the stories it could tell.

REFERENCES: For a similar copper bowl and wonderfully evocative story of how the bowl was used by Julia Child in her first test episode of The French Chef in 1963 see Accession Number 2009.0091 at the Smithsonian. 

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THE GEN

“Descendant of an old noble family of Vendée, ruined by the French revolution, Eugene de Hillerin took his family name into the world of hardware and trading in Paris. Visionary with a strong character, this great worker laid the first foundations of the brand in the district of Halles where he lived and where he knew everyone.

In the 1880s, Eugène de Hillerin acquired a hardware and household goods store and a boilermaker's workshop, located at 1, rue Montmartre and 7, rue du Bouloi respectively. His clients included restaurateurs who came to the Halles neighbourhood for supplies of fresh produce. Eugene soon had the means to buy a whole set of small businesses complementary to his activity including a tinning workshop, but also an old shop opened in 1820. This latest acquisition allowed the Dehillerin brand to anchor itself in almost 200 years of history … A few years later, all manufacturing activities were centred in the 15th arrondissement.

In 1890, the hardware store moved to rue Coquillière and adopted the facade that it still presents today, with its abundance of heterogeneous utensils.” Read more about the wonderful history of this brand and family at E. Dehillerin.

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