Ricci Silversmiths

Ricci Silversmiths aka Ricci Argentieri (Est. 1840-) Although not as well-known as some American manufacturers, Ricci Silversmiths (also known as Ricci Argentieri) is one of the most respected and renowned silversmiths in Europe.

The Ricci family established their House, Ricci Argentieri, in Alessandria, a small northern town near Milan. Since 1840, the company’s tradition of quality craftsmanship attracts both customers and collectors. Ricci’s longevity and focus on superior workmanship has made the company one of the most highly-acclaimed silversmiths in the world. Its pieces are distributed by Godinger International.

Today, Ricci’s sterling factory is located in Padova, Italy with plate and stainless factories located throughout the Far East. Ricci produces sterling silver, silverplate, goldplate, and stainless collections. The company’s inventory combines classic tradition and contemporary styling to produce exquisitely designed flatware. Ricci has also been a leader in research and development of new designs.

Each piece of sterling silver is handcrafted, filed, polished and buffed by hand in Italy continuing the tradition established by original Ricci artisans in 1840. The highest quality, weight, balance, and detail are incorporated into each flatware piece. Stainless flatware is produced in several state-of-the-art Asian factories.

Ricci Sterling Silver is composed of heavily weighted .925 Sterling Silver. Ricci Silverplate is comprised of a minimum of 20 microns of silver where the usual industry standard is normally 3 microns or less.

Ricci Goldplate is real 24K gold at a minimum of .10 microns while the usual industry standard is .02 microns and often is only a gold colored wash.

Ricci Stainless Steel is made of high quality 18/10 (18% chromium, 10% nickel, and 72% pure steel.) The 18/10 composition creates stainless that gleams and is heavyweight. Knives are forged, carbon steel giving them a superior cutting edge and, in most cases, these knives have two-piece hollow handles.

Design engineers analyze the movement of the lines and the proportion of the pieces. The thickness of the metal on a single spoon varies to best carry out the pattern. Each Ricci pattern extends to the end of the piece and on both the front and back sides. Detailing of this kind is found on only the best European flatware.

The silver plate and gold plate patterns, as well as the 18/10 stainless steel collections, are each crafted in multiple specialty factories throughout the Far East. Pieces that are machine made are crafted on high-end modern machinery that specializes in intricate designs.

The company chooses materials it deems the highest quality: the stainless patterns are crafted using the highest quality 18/10 composition, creating stainless that is both lustrous and heavyweight. The knives are forged, carbon steel, and in most cases have two-piece hollow handles.

Ricci has produced items in many styles. Recently, they introduced a Japanese bird style of stainless steel flatware in a set for 12 that includes 65 pieces. This multi-motif pattern is similar to the Japanese and Audubon motifs by Tiffany & Co. Each piece is decorated with intricate designs adapted from nineteenth century Japanese bird paintings.

The company is also known for manufacturing Judaica pieces. An outstanding example is a Hanukkah Menorah crafted of polished silver-plated brass. It is styled with four arcs connecting eight arms around the centered, risen “shamash” candle. It is 9.75″ high x 17.50″ wide, with a 4.00″ depth. Silver-plated brass Includes inserts that allow for different sized candles.

In 1995, the brands Cesa1882 and Ricci Argentieri become part of the Greggio family, which has developed a selected distribution system through exclusive dealers.

True masters of their art, Ricci Silversmiths pursues detail and design with perfection as its goal.

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