Historical timeline
Jean Dubost

Pierre Dubost and Marcelle Colas-Pradel grew up in the same hamlet in the heart of the dark forests of the Thiers mountain peaks. They were both from families which produced home-made knives for the cutlers of Thiers. Once adults, they decided to marry and leave their families to set up home a few kilometres away, in a small village called Viscomtat, with the intention of starting their own business. In 1920, Pierre Dubost and his wife, Marcelle Colas-Pradel, established their little general cutlery business, which would bear the name of their two families: DUBOST - COLAS - PRADEL. Initially, manufacturing focused on small series of knives intended for professional use.

Their first knives were kitchen knives intended for professionals: paring knives, a butcher’s knife, sticking knife, larding knife, bread knife, cleaver …

The paring knife, with its stainless steel bolster and wooden handle: an iconic knife which has passed through the generations and today still forms part of our 1920 range.
Incidentally, the blades were imprinted with a toucan. This is because at the start of the century, it was a cutlery tradition to associate an animal with your trademark. Pierre Dubost and his wife therefore opted for this well-known bird, with its long, sharp beak.

Mr René Beaujeu, a man of real passion, built a hydroelectric power plant on the dam over the La Semaine river, enabling the supply of power to the village of Viscomtat.
This newfound modernity allowed the company to equip itself with its first machinery in 1928, and hence to expand its activities.

An addendum to the insurance contract in 1928 mentions the use of a 3 hp electric motor.

In the 1930s BHV (Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville) placed its first order for knives with Dubost Colas Pradel: definitely something to be proud of, and a great way to introduce yourself to future customers!

Poster created by French painter and illustrator Emile Lévy.

After the war, in 1945-46, the company almost closed down. The immediate post-war period was a time of abject misery, and it was no longer possible to make a living with cutlery. Jean had already considered taking over a service station in a neighbouring département, but could not bear to see the company close down. The two brothers (Jean and Noël) therefore moved to Paris, and travelled across France in search of customers.

In 1949, their efforts paid off, and the company began to supply the major Parisian department stores: BHV, Printemps: The accounts book for 1949, showing sales of “Scout” daggers to Galeries Lafayette / BHV and Model 23 monoblock table knives to BHV: with handles of bubinga or rosewood, as well as their first plastic handles, using Bakelite. Bakelite was invented at the start of the 20th century, and was the first plastic produced on a large scale - it was used in the production of the well-known black plastic telephones, for example.

The ranges expand, and the first export sales come in: a “marine” knife, machete for Madagascar, “coupe coupes” and “sabres”, hunting knives, mainly for export to Africa, for sugar cane cultivation; the handles were wrapped in twine, and the blades were oiled before sea shipping to prevent seawater corrosion. At the same time, the first table knives were sold to Lebanon.

The cutlery workshop in the 1960s: Pierre Dubost, the creator of our cutlery, by then 70 years old, enjoys the beautiful day seated in the shade on the bench outside his house, beside the workshop.

All stainless steel cutlery made in France Perle’s range: the perfect wedding gift, in a case with a Jouy en Josas-lined drawer: a top-of-the-range wedding gift!

Jean Dubost innovates, offering his first colourful high-end table knives: a forged blade and a burn-fitted coloured acetate handle.

After a week of hard work, Pierre, Jean and Marceline enjoy a simple family moment around a picnic in the Auvergne countryside.

The arrival of the first refrigerators in households means that a butter knife or spreader is now indispensable!

In the 1970s, the flatware ranges expand. The company’s 57 flatware with acetate handles becomes very successful. This plastic material is not homogeneous during the production process, giving it a slightly “bleached”, horn-like appearance.

Another flatware model: the 4SR (brass bolster and rivets, bubinga wood handle), a 1970s cutlery highlight thanks to its extraordinary popularity.

Pierre passes away in 1974 and Noël and Roselle decide to start a new profession in 1975. Jean and Marceline then take over the reins of the company, assisted by their daughter-in-law Marlyse and son Philippe, who is then appointed technical director.

Production expanded rapidly under the aegis of Jean Dubost, for whom the internationally renowned range of table flatware and kitchen knives has been named. 1976 sees the construction of a 700 m² building entirely dedicated to production (assembly, polishing, sharpening, etc.) The company now employs 37 people.

The ABS Biton flatware model is created using a dual plastic-injection process. Jean Dubost was the first cutlery company to develop the know-how for injecting bi-tone (2-colour) plastic: a first injection creates the first part of the handle (the rivets and bolsters in the photo opposite) while a second injection then creates the handle overmould (in white or grey in the photo opposite).

Thanks to their success with acetate in the 1980s, the 57 flatware range now became available with an ABS handle: a French style blade, ivory ABS handle, and double ferrule. An entire range of serving accessories has also been developed (ladle, slotted spoon …) The model was then offered with a motif (here, an Anglais 57 model fork with cloth motif is shown, although sailcloth or net motifs were also available) flatware with ABS handle with heat stamp.

An iconic flatware model.

“Multi-purpose” knife: very fine serrations for cutting frozen foods on one side, a universal serration for cutting meat on the other, and at the tip of the blade, a beak = 2 “prongs” to pick up and serve meat, tomatoes, etc.: a product which was recognised in the Concours Lépine. At the Paris trade fair, to show the quality of the blade, the demonstrator would cut a tomato into slices before then cutting steel spikes with the other side of the blade, very impressive!

Jean Dubost in 1983 at the PROMODO household goods trade fair in Paris.

MA’DONA flatware Marlyse Dubost created a flatware model with a polypropylene handle, available in different colours, with a micro-serrated blade with no ferrule, a model which would soon be baptised “MA’DONA” in honour of the Queen of Pop, whose songs flooded the airwaves at the time!

Production of the first Laguiole flatware intended for table use (non-folding): Jean Dubost Laguiole flatware for table use, 100% French-made and respecting cutler tradition, were a great success in France and internationally.
Dubost Colas Pradel’s expertise ensures that this collection is available with a handle made from real horn, different types of wood (snakewood, bubinga, olive tree, etc.), or acrylic. Our workshops’ many years of plastic mastery also allows us to offer our customers ABS handles in any colour scheme you want.

Jean Dubost demonstrates his plastics expertise with his innovative Cristal flatware, with translucent handles (translucent polystyrene).

The Sans Culotte, a folding knife produced to mark the bicentenary of the French Revolution, with a bolster in the shape of a Phrygian cap and ebony handle.

Following Jean’s death in 1989, Philippe took over the management of the company together with his wife Marlyse. Their son, Alexandre, took part in his first trade shows (in the photo, he is at the company’s stand during the Ambiente international trade fair in Frankfurt, in 1990)
The company now employs 43 people.

In 1993, following the death of his mother, Marlyse, Alexandre Dubost became the fourth generation of the family to lead the company.

In 1995, Alexandre decided to build the company’s first show-room, allowing products to be exhibited and customers to be welcomed in a dedicated space, updated on an ongoing basis with the latest innovations. In 1998, the company participated in the Gourmet Show trade fair in Los Angeles, continuing its international development.

The stamped bee and straight handle design on our Laguiole flatware collections : A sign that our expertise is being recognised.

Friends since their student days, Alexandre invited Benoît Bérot to join the family business in 1997. Since then, Benoît has assisted Alexandre in the development of the company, and is both commercial and marketing director.

Monaco flatware with real olivewood handle This real olivewood flatware comes with a dishwasher-proof varnish for easy care. Wooden flatware handles perfectly illustrate the high end cutlery know-how of Jean Dubost, and are very popular in luxury boutiques in France and abroad, such as GUMP’s or Pottery Barn in the USA.

Still driven by the same conviction as his grandfather Jean with regard to the need to develop exports, Alexandre Dubost decides to exhibit the company’s goods in new international trade fairs - IHA (International Housewares) in Chicago, followed by the Exclusively Housewares trade fair in London, in 2007.

Dubost Colas Pradel introduces a range of 100% recyclable Laguiole tableware. A 100% recyclable blade and a unique handle, the product of a cornstarch-based plant bioplastic-based production process which makes our cutlery 100% recyclable as well as compostable and biodegradable.

An eco-responsible firm

In order to promote its international expansion, the company establishes a department focused on exports where, supported by Alexandre and Benoit, Laurence Arthaud will be in charge of this development.

This handle shape has been available for paring knives since the company was established by Pierre and Marcelle Dubost, and these played a significant role in the success of their know-how. In 2010, Alexandre Dubost chose to develop this handle shape for a complete range of kitchen knives : steak knives, kitchen knives, chef’s knives, santoku knives, breadknives, etc. This would be known as the Jean Dubost® 1920 range, professional knives with exceptional ergonomics and cutting edges, an iconic collection!

In 2012, Dubost Colas Pradel is named an EPV “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” - a Living Heritage Company.

The EPV label is awarded by the state, for a period of five years, and brings together manufacturers who are focused on performance excellence in their professions and products. It rewards French companies with exceptional craftsmanship and industrial expertise.

Damas Jean Dubost collection

When a dream becomes reality… Four passionate friends unite their talents: a cutler, a blacksmith, an art engraver and a mathematician. The challenge: to create an exceptional knife, made entirely from genuine Damascus steel. And thus was born the Jean Dubost Damas collection.

Our “1920 Damas” collection won the Grand prize from “Table & Cadeau”, a specialised tableware magazine, at the Maison & Objet trade fair in Paris in September 2012. 3-Time award winner: prizes for design, technical skill and packaging. The jury was comprised of professionals and consumers, who gathered for a day a few days before the show.

Séverine Dubost, Alexandre’s wife, joins him in 2013 and takes over the company’s online and digital communication activities. Faced with social development, the digitalisation of information, and the internationalisation of sales, it was important that Jean Dubost be able to leveraged the latest communication media, by establishing a presence, both on the Web and on social media.

The company is a partner with Restos du Cœur, and donates flatware to be used in regional welcome centres, the Parisian headquarters as well as on the charity’s well-known barge.

In order to promote its brand and products, track market developments and offer our customers a service with merchandising solutions, the decision is taken in 2014 to create a dedicated marketing department, to be led by Benoit Berot.