F Antoine Heller (1840 - 1904 )

We admire the different patterns of sterling flatware by the different companies, however we need to remember that someone had to create the designs. Each different pattern and, often, pieces within a pattern, are works of art. There are many better known sterling designers, such as J. Russell Price. My favorite, and one of the most famous, is Antoine Heller.

Heller was a French designer. His work was often of the Beaux Arts style. Heller patterns are very intricate in their design. An example, and probably his best known, is Mythologigue, that he created for Gorham. Introduced in 1895, of the 72 pieces in the pattern there are 24 unique designs.

But Heller started with Tiffany, where he was best known for Olympian (1878), another with multiple unique designs within the one pattern. Gorham was so impressed his work, they convinced him to leave Tiffany and design for Gorham.

While at Gorham he created Cluny (1880)



Coligni (1898)

Fountainbleau (1882)

St Cloud (1885)

Olympian for Tiffany