Postby JayT » Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:44 am
Hello and welcome to the forum!
Your coffee pot in the Neoclassical style was made in Paris of 950 standard silver as seen by the silver standard mark of a walking cock in an octagonal reserve with a border, and the guarantee mark of a Minerva head facing right in a circular reserve. These marks were in use 1809-1819.
The maker was J.A. Berel, hollowware maker, working at 24 rue des Fossés-St-Germain. He registered his mark 1810-1811. No end date is given, but there is mention of him in the Almanach Azur until 1822. Berel was the successor of Marie-Joseph-Gabriel Genu’s widow, working at the same address until 1811.
See Arminjon, v. 1, no. 01503, p. 171, and no. 02652, p. 267.
Marie-Joseph-Gabriel Genu descended from a long line of silversmiths, going back to Claude Genu (registered 1715), Jean-François Genu (1754) and Jean-Claude Genu (1766), who eventually established himself in Saint Petersburg in 1785. His son, Marie-Joseph-Gabriel had been a well-known maker of quality silver (la belle argenterie) in pre-Revolutionary times. He registered his mark on 31 December 1788, and is listed as active until 1806.
See Nocq, v. II, p. 232-233.
Regards.