www.925-1000.com

I just purchased this item (on impulse) that appears to be a perfume bottle. It's got a family crest and (Hanau) marks that I cannot find anywhere. The crest has 2 griffins, one on each side, and another smaller one in the middle on top of the shield. The (Hanau) marks appear to be a 3-pointed crown on the left and a fleur-de-lis on the right. I could not quite make out the one in the middle, but it appears to resemble a date letter of some sort.

I would really appreciate some insight on the following:

• Is this a perfume (or cologne) bottle?
• Is this Hanau? If so, which maker?
• Does anyone know this family crest (or coat of arms)?

The images are below. Thank you in advance.

Better you test it to make sure it's solid silver.
Regards
Amena

amena wrote:Better you test it to make sure it's solid silver.
Regards
Amena

Thank you, Amena. That's a very good question. The seller actually said it's silver-plated, but I took a risk. After I bought it, I asked a reputable auction house in Germany, and they said that these are Hanau marks. My understanding is that Hanau silversmiths only made solid silver items, so hopefully this is solid silver. I've also attached another image that seems to indicate that the tarnish on the non-exposed areas seems consistent with it being silver. But you're absolutely right that I need to get it tested to be sure. Another item online that I found with the same family crest is silver-plated brass, but the wear and tarnish did appear quite different from this one.

Also on the family crest, I found out more through some research. The motto is "Haut et Bon," which is French for "Great and Good." This was used by the St. Leger family, who came to England/Ireland by way of the Norman Conquest many hundreds of years ago. I also found a few similar crests being used in the 1800's, probably by Viscount Doneraile in Ireland. But, since this is most likely Hanau, they probably used it as "inspiration."