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Are you certain this bird is a dove? It might not make a difference for the attribution, but to me this looks like a grouse or a partridge: general profile, feathers on top of head, markings on wings, and legs. Just a thought.

Hello You have the crab silver standard mark for smalls. The butterfly is a guarantee mark for smalls used in the First Division from 1819-1838. There should be an identification of the tax bureau in the middle of the butterfly’s wings, but your image is too blurry on my monitor to make it out. If y...

Vacheron & Constantin is one of the “Holy Trinity” of Geneva-based Swiss watchmakers, (along with Patek-Philippe and Audemars-Piguet) known for the quality and luxury of their products. The company has a rich heritage, going back to the 18th Century. If this were my timepiece, I’d write directly...

My pleasure to help.

Hello Your fork in the Uniplat pattern was made by Pierre-Nicolas Sommé, initials PNS, symbol an acorn with 2 stars on either side (un gland et une étoile de chaque côté). At about 19 cm in length, this is likely a dessert fork (fourchette à entremets) rather than a dinner fork. Sommé, a flatware ma...

Not France.

My pleasure to help Guido. Thanks for your kind remarks.

P.S. Normally the spoons with a jam jar are displayed bowl up, facing either in or out.

Hello Guido Happy New Year! Your jam jar (confiturier) was made in Paris by Pierre Bourguignon, general silversmith, working at 222 rue St-Honoré. His mark was Initials PB, symbols a carafe (un carafon) and a floweret (un fleuron). He registered this mark twice, in 1798, and 1803. He was received as...

Your timbale was definitely made in Paris 1798-1809, as indicated by the official silver standard and guarantee marks. As for the maker, Arminjon tells us that Berger’s first lozenge-shaped mark was this second mark that you show with a vase as symbol. The third mark was the same as the second. She ...

Hello Thanks for the clear images. According to Arminjon, the leading authority on Paris marks, your object was made by Louis-Jacques Berger, initials L, pellet J B, symbol a vase (un vase). Berger registered 3 marks; this is the second, registered on 24 September 1807. No end dates are given for th...

Hello
We’ve seen the M L Cie mark with an ivy leaf symbol twice before, with no resolution of the problem.
See:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=55109&p=176073&hilit=ML+Cie#p176073
This form of dish is called “une jatte.”
Regards

Merry Christmas to the Administrators and Moderators who keep us so happily (and safely) engaged in this wonderful silver community at 925-1000. Looking forward to the start of Year 16 in 2021!

Here is a bit more precision on Laporte’s working dates. As you know he was a cutler, first registering a mark on 10 December 1825, erased 30 December 1853. He registered his mark again on 24 February 1853, erased 26 May 1863, because he changed addresses from 20 rue des Filles-St-Thomas, to number ...

This appears to be a fork for spearing and extracting food preserved in brine or liquor from a jar, such as pickles (cornichons), olives (olives), or brandied cherries (cerises à l’eau de vie). The handle telescopes in accordance with the depth of the jar.
Does this seem plausible to you?

Your double salt dish was made in Paris of 950 standard silver between 1819-1838 as seen by the Michelangelo head facing right in an octagonal reserve, and a guarantee mark of the head of Ceres facing left in an oval reserve. The maker was Sixte-Simon Rion, initials SSR, symbol “la bisse de Milan re...

Tentatively solved, although as Blakstone states, the image of Dufäy’s mark doesn’t correspond to the description of a musical note of fa, whereas the mark on your item is quite clearly shown for Duc.

Hello Guido You certainly have presented an interesting problem. The symbol of this mark looks like a musical staff (une portée de musique) with a musical note of fa. Arminjon, v. I, shows this mark quite clearly as no. 02308, p. 238, but her description doesn’t match the pictured mark! Therefore, I...

P.S. Debain was a manufacturing silversmith, with high production. This type of hollowware would be typical of his manufacture. Dutac on the other hand was a manufacturing jeweller. While jewellers did make silver tableware, a large piece of hollowware would not likely be part of his line of goods. ...

Debain’s symbol is a woodcock (une bécasse). Although I’m a bit ornithologically challenged, my vote goes to Debain as maker of your platter. The long beak and the profile in general of your mark resembles a woodcock to me.