Search found 875 matches

by blakstone
Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:56 pm
Forum: European Jewelry
Topic: silver chain 001
Replies: 9
Views: 2643

Re: silver chain 001

I'm not so sure; I think this might be the petit minimum fineness Minerva mark (in a conforming outline) that replaced the boar's head mark in 1973. Hard to say without clearer images.
by blakstone
Thu Dec 02, 2021 10:52 pm
Forum: German Silver
Topic: Danzig / Gdansk Baroque Silver Box
Replies: 15
Views: 3626

Re: Danzig / Gdansk Baroque Silver Box

Interesting conundrum, with persuasive arguments on both sides. I can add a few observations. First, the two Austrian tax marks, to my mind, are of little help in judging authenticity. If both the marks and piece are genuine, their appearance arouses no suspicions, as they would very properly appear...
by blakstone
Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:42 am
Forum: German Silver
Topic: Old spoon from Gdańsk
Replies: 21
Views: 5598

Re: Old spoon from Gdańsk

This is the mark of Christian Schubert II (master 1689; died 1737), whose working dates are much more consistent with the style of the spoon than his uncle's, the previously mentioned Christian Schubert I (master 1644; died after 1651). Christian II was the son of Gottfried Schubert (master 1661; di...
by blakstone
Sun Nov 28, 2021 6:02 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Dutch picture frame from the French Period?
Replies: 3
Views: 2384

Re: Dutch picture frame from the French Period?

I can add identification of the maker's mark to Oel's excellent summary: Ambroise Louis Joseph Girardot Born: 5 Sep 1785, son of Joseph Girardot, silver buckler & Marie Claude Chatelain Married: 27 May 1809, Adelaide Petronille Bouchard Died: 30 Mar 1849, Paris, 7e arr. Girardot, like is father,...
by blakstone
Fri Nov 12, 2021 8:32 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: A cruet. French?
Replies: 4
Views: 1621

Re: A cruet. French?

You're welcome. As one of those "experts" at an auction house myself, I can't say that I disagree with your assessment!
by blakstone
Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:23 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Double signature of makers on the spoon
Replies: 2
Views: 1966

Re: Double signature of makers on the spoon

The smaller mark is that of Louis Cottat, flatware maker, 41 rue de Turbigo, registered 6 Sep 1865 and cancelled 5 Nov 1875. The firm had been in business since 18 Jun 1831 when Louis Patient Cottat registered (then at 47 quai de Horloge) a similar mark: "L. COTTAT" with the same device (c...
by blakstone
Fri Nov 12, 2021 12:25 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: A cruet. French?
Replies: 4
Views: 1621

Re: A cruet. French?

It is French, from Lyon; the maker is Louis Factory. Unfortunately, my reference has no information on him beyond the name, nor could I find any in a cursory search though available online records. Ref: Maryannick Chalabi & Marie-Reine Jaze-Charvolin, Poincons des fabricants d'ouvrages d'or et d...
by blakstone
Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:04 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Please help with identification
Replies: 6
Views: 2999

Re: Please help with identification

Thank you for the additional images. The marks on the post-1838 second standard silver knife blades are to small or blurry for me to make out. The marks on the 1819-1838 first standard spoons (with the vieillard) is that of Cincinnatus Lorillon, a member of the large Lorillon-Chenailler-Soufflot dyn...
by blakstone
Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:08 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Please help me identify silversmith of the cruet
Replies: 2
Views: 1520

Re: Please help me identify silversmith of the cruet

The maker is Jean-Francois Guion (also Guione, Guyon), who registered this mark around 1804/1805, 15 rue Neuve St. Denis (which is now rue Blondel). Arminjon does not list a cancellation date for him, but notes that he is still listed in the Almanach Azur in 1815. He is not listed in the Paris Direc...
by blakstone
Thu Oct 21, 2021 3:39 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Please help with identification
Replies: 6
Views: 2999

Re: Please help with identification

It occurred to me that the mark as shown in the image is probably upside-down and is likely that of Pierre Philippe Rousseau; see his mark on the forum's index of French Maker's Marks for comparison. You can use the forum search function to find more information, as this maker has been discussed in ...
by blakstone
Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:03 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Please help with identification
Replies: 6
Views: 2999

Re: Please help with identification

Not really sure of the cutler's mark on the steel knife blades, but Nogent, Haute Marne was a very important center for knifemaking, in keeping with the maker "A. Schmitt" having a "Maison a Paris" (i.e., a store in Paris). The marks on the silver are Paris, 1819-1838, for first ...
by blakstone
Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:36 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Need help identifying date & maker, please. Thanks.
Replies: 2
Views: 1694

Re: Need help identifying date & maker, please. Thanks.

Nice! Your spoon is from Dole, dept. Jura, 1764/65, by Joseph Opinel. The marks are: 1) Addorsed C’s, crowned: Reconnaisance mark of the Bescancon/Dole mint, 1745-1777 2) IO over the Dole civic arms: Maker’s mark of Joseph Opinel, 1749-1794 3) Fleur-de-lys over an ampersand: Dole Jurande (Warden’s) ...
by blakstone
Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:55 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French Key Holder?
Replies: 8
Views: 3091

Re: French Key Holder?

"16" during the 1839-1838 period was the department of Charente-Inferieure (now called Charente-Maritime), and there were two assay offices there, in La Rochelle and Saintes, the latter being distinguished by the addition a pellet or small raised dot in the mark alongside the numeral "...
by blakstone
Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:27 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Unknown French silversmith
Replies: 3
Views: 1865

Re: Unknown French silversmith

Hippolyte-Pierre Bompard Born: 25 Apr 1806, Paris, 11th arrondissement, son of Gabriel Jacques Andre Bompard & Marie Josephine Lefevre Married: 9 Dec 1837, Paris, 4th arrondissement, to Eugenie Victoire Lebaudy Died: 12 Aug 1872, Paris, 6th arrondissement His father Gabriel was also a silversmi...
by blakstone
Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:05 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Unknown French mark & maker
Replies: 3
Views: 1815

Re: Unknown French mark & maker

The make is Jean Louis-Galliot of Lyon; see this thread for more information: Provincial Marks: Galliot? Tete d'Antilope?

I should note that the reference I give in that thread illustrates a very similar neoclassical-style sucrier by Galliot on p. 15.
by blakstone
Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:21 pm
Forum: Middle East
Topic: Where is this candlestick from?
Replies: 6
Views: 6206

Re: Where is this candlestick from?

I have seen these marks attributed to Iran/Persia, I think mostly because of the radiant sun around the maker's mark, which also appear on the national arms. I think it's a reasonable guess; the Latin letters in the maker's mark could well have been used during the post-1925 modernization era.
by blakstone
Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:45 pm
Forum: German Silver
Topic: Set of 6 Tilsit Captains Teaspoons
Replies: 1
Views: 2161

Re: Set of 6 Tilsit Captains Teaspoons

The woman leaning on the anchor is the traditional personification of Hope. It is not necessarily nautical: the anchor provides stability and security and thus became a symbol of hope. That said, it was a popular motif among sailors (and especially their wives) as a token of safe passage. Nice spoons!
by blakstone
Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:03 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French maker with AEG initials
Replies: 7
Views: 3896

Re: French maker with AEG initials

It is odd, but there is no question that Giroux died on 24 Apr 1809; his death certificate was re-registered in 1872 from a notarial copy of 1810 associated with his succession, and the date is confirmed by his appearance the 1809 table of decedents in the old 7th & 8th arrondissements, similarl...
by blakstone
Thu Jun 17, 2021 2:43 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Help with French Maker
Replies: 4
Views: 4569

Re: Help with French Maker

Nicolas Edme Picard Born: 1 Jun 1810, Montargis, Loiret, son of Nicolas Picard & Anne Elisabeth Barthelemy Married: 4 Apr 1837, Paris, 6th arrondissement, to Marie Pauline Desplat (1807-1890) Died: 1877/1881 The exact date and place of his death has so far eluded me, but I have determined that ...
by blakstone
Thu Jun 17, 2021 2:35 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French maker with AEG initials
Replies: 7
Views: 3896

Re: French maker with AEG initials

Abel Etienne Toussaint Gabriel Giroux

Born: ca. 1766, Paris, son of Rene Henri Giroux & Francois Gruardet
Married: 25 Jul 1795 [7 Thermidor an III], Paris, 11th arrondissement, to Julie Fortier
Died: 24 Apr 1809, Paris, 8th arrondissement

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