could this be hanau

[blonde_minx]

Hi I have this lovely little silver box, it has an engraved castle on the top and a strange looking bird on the front but i cant find these marks anywhere, the last image has a mark that looks like a q with a crown above, could anyone help at all
Thanks in advance
Mandy

[Francais]

Not Hanau, but not good. They are supposed to be Paris 1756-62 and Paris 1756-7. Unfortunately these marks are known to be faked. It is sometimes hard to tell the real ones from the fakes. However since you are missing the maker's mark, it seems likely they are faked. I am also not wild about the way the are stamped, or where. The style doesn't look good either. With better, and more pictures I could perhaps be certain, but for now, I would say it is very likely faked.
Maurice

[blonde_minx]

Hi Maurice thanks for the info, there is another mark it looks like part of a letter i will try to get some better pic tonorrow
Regards

[Francais]

It is probably an A, but look around for a mark that has two letters in it. Also try to take a few pictures so you can see where the marks are located. Finally try to get a picture of the bottom in focus.
Maurice

[blonde_minx]

Hi Maurice, thanks for your help, i have taken some extra pics, the marks as you can see are on the side panel also there is a partial mark of a letter though its hard to make out this is located on the front to the right side near the marks on the side panel , hope these pics are better
Thanks for your help
Mandy

[Francais]

Well the pictures are pretty good, but it is a little hard to be absolutely sure from the pictures.
I don't thing the work looks more Germanic than French. Also why hide the marks in the decoration, when the bottom has plenty of room.
I guess one other thing might absolutely prove it is a fake, would be the inside, is it cast decoration or real repoussee?
If you don't know how to tell the difference take two more pictures of the inside of the top and bottom. Real repoussee is a mirror image more or less, of the outside. If it is cast,it is fake.
I still am almost sure it is fake.
Maurice

[blonde_minx]

Hi Maurice
The inside is repoussee and not cast, hope this helps a little
Regards
Mandy

[Francais]

I am sorry I thought I answered this, but it must not have been submitted. The problem is that I really can't be sure from the pictures. I would say I am 95% sure that it is a fake, for all the reasons posted, but there is always the difference between an "in hand" appraisal and an "on line" opinion. If it was cast, I could say it is a fake. If it had decent patina, I would reverse and say it is real. If I were you I would ,as museum's say, deaccession it, probably at auction without warrant. Even if it were real, it would be a very sad example, without a maker's mark. I hope this is not too brutal, but I have a reputation for being brutally honest. I think in this case we are beating a dead horse. Sorry,
Maurice