Serving Fork with Unusual Marks...Help!!??

[kelmel]

Hello All,

I just got this great serving fork. It measures about 8 1/2" long. The marks are on the face, just below the tines. The mark on the left is inside a square divided into two halves, top and bottom. The bottom half has the number "100". The top half has some sort of animal like a lion, except it looks like something is coming out of its mouth. It is lying in profile and facing left. Above the animal's back are the letters, "VH". Across from this mark is the word, "Apollo" in a rectangle.
Any help with these marks is deeply appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
kelmel
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=3/7820582183.jpg&s=x11
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=3/7820585478.jpg&s=x11

[kelmel]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me how you determined that this fork is silverplate? I ask because I see it was moved but I do not know why. What country is this silverplate from and how could you tell it was silverplate?
Thank you

[Neruda]

I have seen Apollo silverplate flatware before - most commonly in France.

And I believe that it is/was probably a French company. The marks are on the front, above the tines. This is a common French practice for both silver and plated pieces - in part because the French set their tables with the flatware up-side-down compared to England or the USA etc.

If this piece were French silver it would have different marks - on the left would be a diamond or lozenge - the square marks were/are used only on silverplate.

Likewise the number 100 refers to the thickness or quantity of silver used in plating and certainly does not imply 100% silver content (which in any case is seldom used - British sterling is 92.5%, whereas the best quality in France up to the 1970s or 80s was 95%).

Hopefully someone has more specific information on Apollo!

[Bahner]

Hi all, >Apollo< was the registered mark of Francois-Frionnet of Paris. The lion with 'VH' was registered for the ''Société générale de coutellerie et orfèvrerie, Francois-Frionnet, succ.'' My French is to bad to determine, whether that Société is the successor of Francois-F. or the other way round. Maybe someone out there can help. Both companies were listed in the same street, under different numbers. Best wishes, Bahner