Founded in 1690, it wasn’t until the reign of Louis XV that silversmith Jean-Baptiste Gaspard Odiot established the debut of a dynasty. It was, however, his exceptionally talented grandson, Jean-Baptiste Claude, who put Odiot on the world map. The splendor of the Empire era was echoed magnificently in his work.

Numerous orders from Napoleon and the imperial family included the sacred scepter and sword, the Emperor’s campaign dinner service, as well as enormous dinner services for his sister, Pauline Borghèse and his mother Laetitia. One of Odiot’s most famous pieces during this era was a shallow bowl said to be modeled on Pauline’s breast.

Jean-Baptiste Claude was influenced by the return of the classical Greek and Egyptian motifs as expressed in Empire styles. Charles Nicolas Odiot, who excelled in the rocaille style, succeeded his father and became the purveyor by appointment to His Majesty the King Louis-Philippe and to the Royal Family of Orleans. He was later succeeded by his son Gustave who received the House of Odiot's most important commission ever, 3,000 pieces of solid gold flatware for Saïd Pacha, the Viceroy of Egypt.

The only surviving work by him dating from before the French Revolution (1789–95) is a coffee urn (Monticello, Virginia, Jefferson Foundation) designed and commissioned by Thomas Jefferson.

Odiot’s reputation extended beyond the Empire to all the royal courts of Europe. Many of the pieces in Odiot’s collection today are identical or very close to the ones they originally produced for European nobility, the Imperial Family, the Russian, Bavarian and Romanian Courts. Today, the heritage of Odiot is intact as its craftsmen continue to produce, with the same savor-faire, masterpieces, including timeless designs from their extensive archives. The long and distinguished history is also the fruit of the work of Odiot's craftsmen, whose creations, in their own time, combined boldness, flair and harmony, and which can be seen on display today in many of the world's greatest museums, like Louvre and Hermitage.