Is This A Minerva Head?

[Pooka]

Hello,

This looks like a lovely French silver cup but I am unsure of the hallmarks. It has ? a Minerva head with ? a crescent shape to the left bottom and N 8 on the other side of the bust. There seems to be no French markings of this sort when I went to the online French hallmarks pages. Can anyone give an informed guess what the marks indicate?

Many thanks,

Greg.

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... rench1.jpg

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... rench2.jpg

[Pooka]

Oops, I did a search on here and it looks like I may have an early Italian cup! Cripes! If anyone views this post could they maybe confirm this?

Thankls again,

Greg.

[amena]

Yes, Naples, 1832-1872

[Francais]

Yes Italy, I believe Naples before 1873, but I am not sure what the little symbol to the left means. If it is a very small cup, it is probably a grappa cup, it might not have a maker's mark, but if it does it might tell you more.
Maurice

[Pooka]

Thanks, thrilled to know it's early'ish Naples silver. Yes it is a very small cup with a gilt interior. The little mark to the left is like a very small crescent or lowercase J or uppercase I. Unusually there is a splodge of silver underneath the cup 'attached' to the middle of the base. I'm imagining the splodge was maybe intentional and could be some sort of figural maker's mark?! Looking at the splodge at certain angles iot does look like a dog or even a bust. But then again I have a good imagination!

Greg.

[amena]

Hi Greg
This sign is strange.

Can you post a clearer photo?
regards
Amena

[Pooka]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... alian4.jpg

Hope this is better! Thanks for the interest!

[amena]

Yes, it is much better.
I must confess that I have never seen the Partenope hallmark so sharp, nor with that particular sign added, and I have not even found a trace of it in the books I own.
This does not really mean anything, someone more experienced than me might have the solution.
On the other hand I must say that the mark of Naples has been largely falsified, and even reproduced without fraudulent intent.
For example, I have an ashtray, evidently modern, whith Italian hallmarks on the right side, and an imitation of the hallmark of Naples in 1710 on the left side.

In any case, if I'll find more information about the matter, I'll post here.
greetings
Amena

[Pooka]

Thankyou for the research and all you say rings true. In essence I could have a genuinely old, possible grappa cup from Naples , 1832-1872, or a similar item but from a different era with unintentionally/intentionally reproduced hallmarks. It would be great if was the latter but even if not I do like the cup! Nice ashtray and intriguing that it has two sets off hallmarks. I now have an unusual image of Italian courtiers of the early 19th century politely passing around ashtrays to spare the palace floor from their ashes!

Thanks again for your interest,

Greg.