History

Joseph Germain Dutalis was born on April 23, 1780 in Brussels. He was the son of Pierre Gabriel Germain Dutalis and Maria Johanna le Lait. His father, Pierre, was a goldsmith and Joseph would become his student at age 11 in 1791. He also spent time with silversmiths in his father's hometown of Bergen, as well as Antwerp, Leuven, and Namur. Pierre Dutalis died in 1814 and Joseph succeeded him in business. His first maker marks appeared in 1814. When the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established in 1815, Dutalis became the purveyor to William I of the Netherlands. Dutalis would also become the purveyor to Leopold I of Belgium. Dutalis designed and produced awards, medals, jewelry, regalia and tableware. Some of the silverware designed and produced by Dutalis is still used at the court in The Hague to this day. Dutalis also made jewelry for Queen of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Anna Paulowna of Russia. Joseph Dutalis was married in 1816 and later has two sons, Charles and Gustav.

The Belgian Revolution from August 25, 1830 to July 21, 1831 caused the Dutalis studio to collapse, but Joseph maintained business by manufacturing the Belgian Iron Cross as well as the Order of Leopold. From 1832 to 1844 the Dutalis’ style changed from the Louis Seize style to a neo-renaissance, neo-baroque and neo-rococo style. In 1844, Dutalis closed his studio and retired. He died on December 5, 1852.