Identifying French Silver Produced 1793-1797

[MGArgent]

Hi Forum,

I have come across several articles of silver for sale with the Association des Orfévres mark (Greek woman's head) that are represented as having been produced in France between 1793-1797 when in fact they were not.

There are a several good discussions on the Association des Orfévres mark on this forum, including the thread linked below:

From 925-1000.com - Discussion mentioning Association des Orfévres mark

I am curious if a list of criteria can be generated that can reliably identify a silver article that was made in France during the chaotic revolutionary years of 1793-1797.

I provide a draft list below which would need to be checked for accuracy and expanded. This is only an initial attempt and it may turn out that such a list would require too many nuanced details and exceptions that it would grow too long to be useful.

1793-1797 French Silver Article Criteria (DRAFT):

1. Must NOT have a set of marks used in the marking system prior to 26 November 1792?
   • Maker
   • Date letter (poinçon de jurande)
   • Charge mark
   • Discharge mark
2. Must NOT have any official marks from marking systems post 1798?
   • 1er coq
   • 2er coq
   • viellard
   • etc?
3. Must NOT contain a maker's mark in the form of a lozenge?
4. MAY have a Greek woman's head mark (Association des Orfévres mark)?
5. MAY have a recount mark (poinçon de recense)?

[MGArgent]

There is gem from another thread HERE which offers some clues to identifying pieces 1793-1797.

The first known mark of L.J.B. was deposited at June 12, 1797, as evidenced on the plaque an V, following the Arrete 21 brumaio an V, and shown at page 95 of the volume Nouveaux poinçons by J. Helft. (symbol: 5-pointed star FIG. 2)
A “droite timbale” with a 5-pointed star symbol above the letters L.J.B., which corresponds to that of J. Helft, has recently appeared on the online market with Jurand P89, Kalandrin’s Charge and Decharge without numbers. These marks, still in the Ancien Regime style without royal insignia, remained in use until 30 July 1797 as indicated by Arminjon. (Orfevres registers end)

In the second half of 1797, as the draft of the future Brumaire Law was at a very advanced stage, the first lozenge marks were provisionally adopted in Paris and Arminjon claims to have found them on a plaque, unique in its kind and preserved in the Tresor of the Monnoie in Paris.

In summary:

• Many French silver articles made between 1793-1797 will be marked in the "Ancien Regime style without royal insignia"
• Pieces struck with lozenge-shaped maker's marks were not made earlier than the second half of 1797

L.J.B.'s mark as of June 12, 1797

[clapel]

Hello MFArgent

I add these informations for a deeper discussion of the obscure period 1793-1797.

The official marks of Regie J.F. Kalandrin (Charge and Decharge) are characterized by the presence of progressive identification numbers.
The Kalandrin's initial plate1789 has been lost but two plaques are known (the one indicated by J. Helft Nouveaux poinçons and the other Cassan similar) which show the original prints. On these plaques four are Charge marks (number 10 - 11-12- 1 from Dec. 1791 to Mar. 1792), while six are Decharge (n. from I to 6). (1)
It is not always possible to identify the numbers in the objects found, both due to incomplete punching and the lightness of the engraving.

After Kalandrin's escape in 1792, the Minister of Public Contributions Claviere appoints the citizen F. Colas as temporary Director of the Marque Office, in October 1792 (2)
Colas continues the perception of rights and affixing oficial marks in the final months of 92, concluding Kalandrin's mandate, as reported in the Thibault Report of 28 Aug 1794 (3)
However, as the Report of Minister Claviere to the National Convention on 1 Feb. 1793 testifies, the mark's rights were already suspended and with them the relative marks. (4)
Only on 11 September 1794 with Termidoran's Arrete following the Thibault report of 28 August will they be re-established, although the actual application has had little success due to the disorganization of the Offices. (5)

The PR knife I am presenting here highlights an Orfevre mark with Sans-culotte.

These revolution partisans, formed towards the middle of 1791. were represented by artisans, traders and commoners of Paris to which the more radical peasants were added from 1793; the groups dissolved after the Thermidor revolt in August 1794. (6)

The knife also features a clear Kalandrin charge without number and the Decharge for small objects (eye).

Considering the timing of the marks and the period of sans-culottes activity indicated above, it seems to me that I can propose that the knife may be from the short term of Director Colas who would have chosen to use the Kalandrin marks but without number, to differentiate himself.
In fact Kalandrin used Charge with numbers (1) while already from Feb 1793 the marks were no longer applied (4); only the brief period of Director Colas remains between Oct and Dec 1792.
I ask the Forum to indicate their opinions on this reconstruction and to present any objects found for the period 1793-1796, Charge and Decharge without numbers.

The numbers in brackets refer to bibliographic data that will be provided upon request.