Christofle Chinon Serving Spoon

[hpidaves]

This 8.5" serving spoon with pointed bowl is marked Christofle, and I believe it is in the Chinon pattern. The marks from left to right are "ALFE NIDE"; the Christofle mark with a "C" on each side, laurels under, scales, stars on top, and "84" in the center; then "69"; and finally "CHRISTOFLE".

From what I have read on this site, the mark with the "84" inside it was used from 1844 - 1862. The "69" has to with plating thickness? If this is all true, then this piece would have been the last year using that mark and the first year of the Chinon pattern, seeing as according to Replacements, the Chinon pattern began in 1862. The piece is heavy and has no noticeable plate loss (high quality).

Am I correct in the assumptions listed above as to year of production, and the 69 as a rating of plating thickness?

Thank you.

[Bahner]

Hello, 84 is the plating thickness as explained here

https://www.925-1000.com/a_platenumbers.html

The 69 is most likley for 1869 as date of production. But I am no expert on Frech marks. Regards, Bahner

[Traintime]

The Christofle marks reference page and a flatware sample at bottom: https://www.925-1000.com/a_christofle.html

I understand the confusion over dates that don't seem to fit together, but I'm not touching this one with a ten-foot pole.

[JayT]

Here are some comments about your Christofle silver plated spoon:
-At 21.5 cm, or approximately 8.5 inches, this is a standard individual place spoon, not a serving spoon.
-The pointed end is a stylistic rather than a functional feature, characteristic of the first quarter of the 19thC. Thus a spoon with this feature would have been considered “old fashioned” at the time it was produced.
-The model is called Filet in French. I can’t think of any manufacturer that didn’t make a Filet pattern. Christofle named their Filet model Chinon in recent years. Originally it was called Filet.
-While Replacements is an excellent resource, I wouldn’t give much credibility to their date of introduction of a French flatware pattern.
-Yes, as Bahner stated, the stamped 69 refers to year of production - 1869 - and not the thickness of the silver plating, which is 84, indicated in the maker’s mark.
-The maker’s mark on your spoon was in use 1862-1935. Christofle purchased the nickel silver company Alfénide in 1854. Flatware made of plated nickel silver in plain patterns was stamped with the Alfénide mark in addition to other Christofle marks until 1878, when the Alfénide mark was dropped.

There is such a plethora of Christofle marks that dating can be confusing at times.

Hope this helps.
Regards

[hpidaves]

Thank you so much to everyone for all the information!

I recently acquired the spoon, along with another Christofle soup spoon (7-3/8") in the same pattern. It does not have the pointed bowl, but is similarly marked, only no two digit date stamp.

Based upon the photos, would you date this spoon similarly to the first? It has the ALFENIDE marking, so I would assume no later than 1878.

Thank you.

[JayT]

Yes, correct on dating.