Jean Toulon basting spoon?

[WarrenKundis]

Found a 8.250" (20.95500 cm) spoon with a very pronounced stem and large deep bowl. The makers mark appears to be JT with caduceus for Jean Toulon, cockerel 1(950-1000) with additional letter A to the left, and middle guarantee mark with 85? Jean Toulon, registered in 1798, Paris, JT with caduceus. Monogram on the front of the finial as M pellet E pellet A pellet. The reverse has a right hand in benediction. Your thoughts here would be most appreciated as always.

[WarrenKundis]

The particular arch in the stem intrigued me, seemed more of a basting spoon then actually serving spoon. The bowl itself is very deep and thick. Felt that it may have some other purpose which the monograms have not yet revealed. Will post them in the section below in family crests with further thoughts.

Warren

[JayT]

Here is my input on your spoon:
o This looks like it started life as a regular tablespoon. French tablespoons of that time period measure about 21 cm. The stem appears to have been bent backwards post manufacture either on purpose or accidentally.
o The typeface and style of the monogram indicate that it is a later addition. If the monogram was mea, then there would not be pellets between each letter.
o The crest does not appear to be French.
o The cockerel mark is the rare 1st cockerel with the letter “A,” used only for year V of the French Republican calendar.
o Confirm the maker’s mark is that of Jean Toulon, flatware maker in Paris at 10 cour Neuve du Palais, active 1798-1813. Successor was Léonard Chatenet.
Hope this helps.

[WarrenKundis]

No thank you Jay that's very usefull.

Had considered that the bend had been post production, of itself does appear to be more stable curled over the edge of a bowl or other low sided vessel. The style of the monogram did not seem to fit the period, much later in fact.

Mea culpa only had meaning if there was a relationship with the hand symbol/crest on the back. MEA, M.E.A., M-E-A-, etc appeared to be a deadend search otherwise. As a crest which the striped bar under the hand implied it was as seen in English hearldry, only pointed towards a very pious family not necessarily French.

Thank you for identifying the letter A, can you read the numbers in the middle guarantee mark, found them confusing for myself. After cleaning the mark was surprised to see this particular face staring back at me.

Warren

[JayT]

You're welcome.

The guarantee mark for medium-sized objects is the rare mirror-image mark. If you hold the mark up to a mirror, you’ll see that the number 85 - indicating Paris - is mirrored. This mirrored mark is thought to be the work of one or more inexpert engravers at the mint in the immediate post-Revolutionary period. The mistake was quickly corrected after 1798.

The cockerel A standard mark together with the mirrored guarantee mark shows that this item was made in 1798. For many years the cockerel A mark was assigned to year V (1796-97), and it usually is called the year V mark (by Tardy and others). Recent research indicates however that the cockerel A mark was used for one year only in 1798.

Agree that the modifications to the stem, monogram and crest are quite distracting. Underneath the crest you can just make out part of the original monogram. The last letter looks like a script L to me.

[WarrenKundis]

Thank you again Jay, was wondering why I was not reading the 85 clearly. Also thought there was something else near the crest, just a shadow. Will spend some time trying to get a clearer shot if possible. Really appreciate your time on this spoon.

Warren

[JayT]

My pleasure.