Help id, trinket box?

[marc1]

Hello,

I have got this item, could it be a trinket box?
Maybe French, it seems the mark of "MAISON COMMUNE" crowned M, Paris 1752, but only has one mark?
Measures are the 7 * 5cm and 6cm height.
Truthfully, I do not know anything about it.

 
Thanks in advance.
Marc.

[Francais]

Being French, I can assure you it is not. It would have to have other marks, and I think if you compare the marks, they are not exactly the same. As to where it was made, stylistically I would say Portugal or Spain, but I don't believe either had a similar mark. So the best choice is Mexico. They had a lot of crowned M marks, some similar. The mark isn't exactly the same as any I found by there were a lot of fake marks found there. Finally the eagle is a very common motif in Mexico, and the quality of the work is similar.
So unless someone recognizes the mark as being from another country I would be fairly confident saying Mexico.
Maurice

[marc1]

Hi Maurice,

Many thanks, I appreciate very much the help.
Do you think that the item is antique?


Best regards.
Marc.

[Francais]

Yes i think so, but giving that opinion without holding it is a bit of a stretch. It is certainly hand made and could easily be 18th c. When I was referring to fake marks, some of those marks were faked in the 18th c. You might check with one of the dealers who specialize in Spanish Colonial Silver and see what they say.
Maurice

[marc1]

I have found this, two maks of the Spanish colonial silver, crowned M, one with imperial crown and the other with royal crown from late 18th and early 19th century, and I think it's like the imperial.
Here you have the link.
Thanks again,
Marc.


http://books.google.es/books?id=oFjgLAJzb1oC&pg=PA254&lpg=PA254&dq=marcas+de+plata+espa%C3%B1ola+y+virreinal&source=bl&ots=F5blkCIAPr&sig=Yy3X4V3Kq9ne7VVvhregbmMvmjU&hl=es&sa=X&ei=3_tGU768FsW70QWjhIHgCg&ved=0CGoQ6AEwDg#v=onepage&q=marcas%20de%20plata%20espa%C3%B1ola%20y%20virreinal&f=false