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What are these insects on these french spoons and forks?

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 8:25 pm
by cfauvel
so on the forks and spoons, of which I'm trying to find the silversmith, on the topside are marks that appear to be insects.
I did not find anything remotely similar in my research.
They all seem slightly different and they are not bound in a cartouche or diamond.

They all have the Minerva stamp and I think they are from the late 1800s

Thoughts?

https://imgur.com/gallery/56FByid

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here are just some of the insects
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Re: What are these insects on these french spoons and forks?

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:30 am
by amena
Llook the other side.
And search " bigorne"

Re: What are these insects on these french spoons and forks?

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:31 am
by AG2012
Hi,
Everything is explained here:
http://www.silvercollection.it/dictionarybigorne.html

Regards

Re: What are these insects on these french spoons and forks?

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:32 pm
by cfauvel
Wow thank you all...super interesting...I never knew about this.

What a wonderful rabbit hole i've been in over the last few days.

Thank you Thank You Thank you.

Re: What are these insects on these french spoons and forks?

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:45 pm
by cfauvel
Ok one more question on this subject.

HOW DID ONE CARVE OUT SUCH INTRICACIES IN SUCH A SMALL SCALE?!?!

Seriously baffled by that ...you can see the leg thorns and abdomen segmentation.