Need Your Eyes on an 18th Century French Object

[neurorocker]

Hi there,

Interesting piece here made from a 1790 French Ecu coin and fashioned into a small cup (tastevin?). Weight is approximately 44 grams. Dimensions are 2.75" across and .5" tall. Several interesting hallmarks. What is it? Is it French? Can anyone ID the age or maker?

http://s1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... 71305a.jpg
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... dc940c.jpg
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... 9aa6ee.jpg
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... cc6253.jpg

[dognose]

Hi,

Your images are too small to make out. Please post some larger embedded images.

Trev.

[Acapulco]

I believe this to be a "moule" for paste or grasse used by the boucheries here in France, these were generally made out of pewter/etain.

[neurorocker]

Could be! The coin embedded in it is a French ecu (silver coin).

[neurorocker]

Old post, but maybe worth a follow up.. I subjected this item to XRF today, and Acapulco was correct. The item is not silver, but pewter. The primary metal constituent was lead.

[Aguest]

I found a similar pie server with a brazilian silver coin that did not test for silver, it must be pewter as well. Maybe somehow people saw the coins and were tricked into believing the entire piece was silver, and so a profit was made? That is my current theory about these pewter objects with silver coins.

[neurorocker]

I agree. That's my theory as well. Wonder when the items were made? How old was your "coin"?