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Hi Friends,

This one is considerably difficult because of the partially struck mark that appears to be ?CC. It's got the 1809-19 Right facing cock in the reserve and the middle guaranty mark of the same. Very nice large and heavy gauge item about the exact size as a dinner plate. Egg and dart on the rim.

It's a log shot, but does anyone recognize that maker mark?

Thanks!!

Nate

Although worn, this mark is recognizable as that of the important silversmith Jean-Charles Cahier. The mark is described (although not illustrated) in Arminjon 1798-1838, mark 1671: J.C.C. underneath the Hebrew letters for “Jehovah”. (The horizontal line above the Latin letters is the giveaway.) If you do an internet search for Jean Charles Cahier, you will find many references to him; see here, for instance: A Treasury of Silverware of Jean Charles Cahier, Goldsmith to the King. (An internet search will also reveal images of the complete mark, but as most of these are commercial, I can't post them here.)

Jean Charles Cahier

Born: ca. 1772, Soissons, Aisne, son of Edme Cahier & Marie Peron
Married: 24 Nov 1802, to Adelaïde Gabrielle Louis Rallot
Died: 17 Oct 1857, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône

Cahier was trained in the workshop of the famous Martin-Guillaume Biennais, which he took over in 1821 after Biennais’ retirement. Cahier was appointed silversmith to both Restauration monarchs, Louis XVIII and Charles X. One record states that he was bankrupted in in 1828, but he clearly continued to operate until around 1849, when his workshop was assumed by Rénaud-Placide Poussielgue-Rusant.

Very nice find! Cahier is among the top tier of 19th century French makers.

Wow! That's amazing. I have searched and searched for it. Thanks so much, Blakstone!!

-Nate

A friend (I know he'll follow this thread with interest) recently found another piece of silver from the same era by Gabriel-Jacques-André Bompart. It has a very similar monogram. Do we dare to hope the owners are the same? Has anyone else run into this LP monogram before on this era of Paris silver?

Silversmiths and/or engravers had and still have style sheets from which a customer could choose an example for a personalization. The initials LP (or PL) aren’t rare in French. I don’t think there is good evidence that these 2 objects were monogramed for the same individual.
I look for monograms with friends’ initials to give as gifts, and you’d be surprised how easy it is to find them!