Design Moment - Laguiole
Australian House & Garden Magazine|July 2018

A teenager’s cutting-edge idea began an artisanal and culinary French tradition that’s still on point after nearly two centuries.

Chris Pearson
Design Moment - Laguiole

Growing up at his parents’ inn in Laguiole, southern France, young Pierre-Jean Calmels admired the sharp-looking knives belonging to the inn’s patrons. Especially the Spanish navaja, a folding knife with a slim, sinuous blade and handle, brought back from Catalonia by seasonal workers.

Calmels was keen to produce these stunners locally. In 1829, aged just 16, he approached his uncle, a blacksmith, with a plan to make knives inspired by the navaja and the local capuchadou farmer’s knife. His designs featured steel blades tempered in the natural springs of Laguiole (pronounced lah-yole), with a spring to close the blade and a handle fashioned from locally sourced ox horn. Thus was born an enduring tradition that took its name from the village.

An awl was added to some models for the convenience of farmers and, from 1880, due to demand from cafe owners and waiters, some also sported corkscrews. Domestic cutlery joined the line-up in the 1930s, placing Laguiole firmly on the culinary map.

Denne historien er fra July 2018-utgaven av Australian House & Garden Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 2018-utgaven av Australian House & Garden Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN MAGAZINESe alt
Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL
Australian House & Garden Magazine

Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL

The stylist and author reveals the secrets to her decorating journey with Mimosa Moon, her home in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
RURAL RETREAT
Australian House & Garden Magazine

RURAL RETREAT

A Colonial-look 1970s property on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is gently renovated with an English-country aesthetic in mind.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
Michael Reid OAM
Australian House & Garden Magazine

Michael Reid OAM

The renowned art dealer and entrepreneur, who runs a congregation of creative businesses across the globe, shares the moments and muses that have shaped his extensive career.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
MASTER peace
Australian House & Garden Magazine

MASTER peace

Gallery owner Michael Reid has created his own living paradise, a rambling garden he keenly shares with fellow art lovers who visit the Murrurundi, NSW, gallery location.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
GARDENS of the world
Australian House & Garden Magazine

GARDENS of the world

Up close and personal with the most memorable gardens in Morocco and Spain.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
INTO the wild
Australian House & Garden Magazine

INTO the wild

Three words inspired the rework of this Kangaroo Valley, NSW, home among the gum trees: embracing, vibrant and Animalia.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
COUNTRY kitchen.
Australian House & Garden Magazine

COUNTRY kitchen.

Flavourful and warming dishes from The Cordony Kitchen with seasonal vegetables as the stars of the show.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
HOLIDAY at home
Australian House & Garden Magazine

HOLIDAY at home

Missing the Indonesian villa they enjoyed on a recent holiday the owners decided to recreate their own retreat at home.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
STATEMENT piece
Australian House & Garden Magazine

STATEMENT piece

For a holiday home that embodies the coastal beauty of Bermagui, NSW, minimalist bricks were the natural choice, inside and out.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
EFFORTLESS charm
Australian House & Garden Magazine

EFFORTLESS charm

With a discrete street frontage, this home fulfils the brief to keep its visual impact on the lush surrounds to a minimum.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024