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Looking for identity of fork.
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:02 am
by juantotree
Hi
I have this fork which was described as 18thC French from Rennes. I would be very grateful if anybody could confirm this for me or if this is incorrect advise on the country of manufacture and possibly identify the maker.
Many Thanks
Martin
Re: Looking for identity of fork.
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 3:04 pm
by blakstone
The crowned “9” was the charge mark of the Rennes mint, but this piece was made in Saint-Malo, which was under the Rennes jursidiction during the ancien régime. Top to bottom:
1) A club + 84: Saint-Malo countermark for 1784, but in actuality probably used ca. May 1785 to ca. 1787.
2) "aa" + a crowned lozenge & two pellets: maker’s mark of André Audouard (1711-1793; master 1743).
3) Crowned “9”: Charge mark of the Rennes mint, 1781-1789.
Interesting side note: Audouard spent some of his journeyman years, ca. 1735-42 in North America.
Hope this helps!
Ref: Jean-Jacques Rioult,Sophie Vergne, et al. Orfèvres de Haute Bretagne (Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2006), pp. 149 & 161.
Re: Looking for identity of fork.
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 3:06 pm
by blakstone
Oops! Just realized I missed the topmost mark:
Top) An ewer: Rennes décharge mark for large silver, 1781-1789
Sorry about that!
Re: Looking for identity of fork.
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:27 am
by juantotree
Thank you very much blakstone for your very detailed reply, it is most appreciated.
Martin