www.925-1000.com

Oel’s ciborium mark looks to me like the recount mark (poinçon de recense) in use from 16 August — 16 November 1819 for the east of France. I don't think this ciborium mark is related to identification issues with the cruet stand.

A couple of typos have crept into the last post in this thread. The crab mark was in use in the departments from 1838-1962 to indicate at least 800 fineness for smalls ( la petite garantie ). A mark between the lower legs of the crab indicates the department. From 1963-1972, the crab mark was used f...

[quote="Francais"]Odd that the latest would be wrong. Quite honestly I never heard of the last two references. Here are the last 2 references that I mentioned: Catherine Arminjon and others. Dictionnaire des poinçons de fabricants d’ouvrages d’or et d’argent de Paris et de la Seine, 1798-...

Without meaning to challenge Maurice, I’d like to point out that the French guarantee for smalls from 1798-1809 is indeed the same for Paris and the departments. The reproductions in Tardy are not of the best quality, so they can be a source of confusion. You’ll find every other credible reference l...

My pleasure!

My pleasure.

Great Trev!

No. In 1798-1809 the guarantee mark for small objects is the same for Paris and the provinces. However from 1809-1819 there were two guarantee marks ( poinçons de garantie ) for smalls. For both, the mark was a bundle of wrapped reeds or fasces ( un faisceau de licteurs ) around an axe, surrounded ...

This appears to be the mark and symbol of Alexandre Tortez, working in Paris at 94, rue du Temple from 1891-1898. Yours tongs were made for export of 950 standard silver as shown by the Mercury head mark used from 1878-1972. Hope this helps.

I think everyone is a bit confused about the date of this tea strainer. The guarantee for smalls pictured is, as Maurice states, from the French provinces, but is from 1809-1819 NOT from 1798-1809. The mark for 1798-1809 shown on this website differs from the later guarantee mark in several respects...

Your spoon is called a cuiller à verre d’eau à pilon in French. The cross-hatching on the end is not a seal, but used for crushing a lump of sugar in a glass of lemonade or orangeade. Then the mixture is stirred with the spoon. These items are 17-19 cm long, with a long handle that makes stirring ...

I thought my photos were better than that. The importation mark is in an oval, which means it was from 1864 -1893. All the counter marks are opposite this or the export mark, mercury head. There are no minerva marks. I see your point about exported then imported, odd though Muarice Not very odd to ...

Always a pleasure Trev.

This appears to be a foie gras server. They usually came in a set with a serving fork. The spade with a beveled terminal end was used to cut the foie gras , and then the fork was used to lift the slice onto the diner's plate. A full discussion of French hors d'oeuvre services can be found in an arti...

Well I see from the ad that this item was patented ( breveté).

This is an individual oyster eating implement called une pelle à huîtres in the Cailer et Bayard catalogue. The half-moon bevelled notch at the tip of the bowl is used to cut the flesh of the opened oyster from its half-shell, and then the oyster can be scooped up with the spoon-shaped bowl. These...

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg describes works in this style by Jacques-Frédéric Kirstein (active 1795-1838) plaques en relief ciselées montées . According to the catalogue, Kirstein used cast and chased silver sheets, and sometimes added cut out silver foil to increase the 3-D effe...

The layered paper technique is also called 3D decoupage and/or paper tole.

My pleasure.

Here is what I see in your photos: The second or third maker’s mark for Théodore Tonnelier trading at 17 bis, rue Chapon in Paris, 1830 -1838 — TT on a vertical axis in a lozenge-shaped reserve separated by a feather with a ploughshare ( soc de charrue ) below. See Arminjon, V. 1. no. 03292, p. 321...