Once used aboard the luxury Wagons-Lits trains that criss-crossed Europe, we are pleased offer this magnificent assortment of Vintage Silverplate bespoke flatware. Produced by esteemed French silversmiths, these well-traveled forks and knives are wonderful treasures from an opulent era of rail travel that has long-since vanished. Engraved with a range of familiar WL brand images from the mid-century, these found pieces have been lovingly gathered to complement each other in a mixed pattern place setting.

Each fork and knife is one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. Dishwasher safe, but hand-washing preserves their shine. Thank you for allowing us to choose a beautiful mix of pieces for your order and rest assured that each piece is unique. Forks measure 7.25-7.75"L. Knives measure approximately 8 - 8.25"L.

Learn More About the Wagons-Lits

Born into a wealthy Belgian family of bankers with interests in railways and close links to the court of King Leopold II of Belgium, Georges Nagelmackers became the founder of one of the most luxurious train services in the world. As a young man Georges fell in love with an older cousin. When his feelings were not reciprocated, his family encouraged him to travel to the United States to help him recover and also further his professional studies of civil engineering. 

Georges spent a total of 10 months traveling throughout the U.S. during which time he experienced train travel on the famous Pullman trains and became convinced that there was a market for Pullman type train service in Europe. After his proposal to Mr. Pullman to collaborate on developing the European market was rejected, Nagelmackers returned to Europe and decided to establish a network of such trains on his own. 

In 1874 Nagelmackers founded the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. (The word "Wagons-Lits" is French for Sleeping Cars.) By 1886 his company had become the main mode of transportation for most European heads of state and the "WL" monogram became a well-known trade mark.

The company ran either complete trains of Wagons-Lits cars or their individual sleeping and dining cars were coupled onto regularly scheduled trains operated by the state railways of European countries. These cars were always drawn by locomotives of the various state railways, as Wagons-Lits did not operate its own fleet of locomotives.

Prior to World War I, the Wagons-Lits Company held a monopoly as the only group catering to the needs of the international railroad traveler. The company introduced famous services, such as the Orient-Express, the Nord Express, the Sud Express and under contract to the Russian Tzar, the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia.