I have a question about the "FRENCH MADE - EXPORT" (1878-1973) label of the French Silver Hallmarks chart. ::: Was this mark applied to objects that were specifically made for export and only for these objects without exception? ::: Or, was this mark required to be stamped on objects older than 1878 which were made in France and used in France which were now being legally exported to another country? ::::
I just don't understand why this knife would have "ODIOT" on the blade and the bigorne on the blade and Dominique Laporte on the blade (retired his hallmark in 1853) and yet it has the "French made - export" hallmark which was introduced in 1878. :::: Does this mean the knife was used in France for a few decades and then it left the country with a new owner who was required to get this new hallmark which was introduced in 1878 before the knife could legally cross the borders? :::: This knife has a royal cypher and a crown on it that I thought was for a Prince, but now I realize it is for a King's Crown, it has a cross on top and is really "puffed out" on the sides and is not like any duke or baron or any of those other crowns which I have seen on flatware before. ::::: The crowns for the House Of Bourbon royal cyphers look similar to this crown. ::::: So maybe the royal nature of this knife has something to do with this mystery? :::
(Maker's mark of Dominique Laporte, knife maker for Charles-Nicolas Odiot.
20 rue des Filles-Saint-Thomas, Paris
Symbol : a sword and three stars
Actif from 1825 till 1853
Successor : E Corvasier)