Unknown Marks and French Control Mark struck twice - why?

[flat_stanley]

I have this silver boar model.



The base is marked with the French Swan Control Mark (small mark on the left) and two other marks I can't identify. I guess its a German model, early to mid 20th century with spurious old looking marks...



Just under the head, the body is marked with the French Swan Control Mark, struck twice.



I have two questions -

1. Does anyone recognise the main marks?

2. Why is the French Control Mark struck twice? I have seen this before but looking online I just can't find any reason why.

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[oel]

Hi Jonathan, welcome to the forum.
Double hallmarks occur when an item is made of component parts of the same precious metal, either hinge or a link connected.
The boar and base are considered linked, thus the boar marked with the double swan and the base with single swan.
The French swan mark; the swan mark indicates that the item is at least a minimum standard of 800 and was produced in a non-treaty country and served as an import identification. The swan mark used 1893-until 1970.
The other two marks; H and unclear mark could be Dutch pseudo marks.
Does the boars head comes off, and what is the size?


Peter

Source; World Hallmarks Volume I Europe 19th to 21st Centuries Hallmark Research Institute

[flat_stanley]

Dear Peter, thanks for your response - your explanation of the double mark makes sense. The boar is bolted onto the base. The base has a single swan mark and the boar body has the double mark. So, 2 parts of the whole. The head is removable and in fact has to be removed to reveal the double swan mark which is on the collar. Its interesting that the removable head does not have the swan mark. It would be nice if that part was marked 3 times! But perhaps there was a minimum weight limit.

The model is about 30cm long. So quite big. And yes, I also thought the other marks were some kind of pseudo mark. I guess the model is one of those 20th century German ones where they were "inventive" with the markings. Difficult to date precisely I suppose but nice that the french control marks make it pre 1970. I fear there are many modern animal models passing as old out there.

[JayT]

A quick clarification: the swan did not cease being marked in 1970, but rather continues today to indicate silver of unknown origin, or silver of unknown origin sold at public auction. The swan can’t be used to definitively date an object.

[oel]

Hi JayT,

The book World Hallmarks Volume 1 Europe 19th to 21st Centuries;

The French swan 1893-1970

From 1984 to date , there was a radical change in the use of some French hallmarks. as the fashion for mixed metal items increased, there was a need to mark the items so that the consumer would know what the approximated percentage of gold or silver was to the base metal(s). Barred marks were incorporated into four previously used hallmarks to indicate the item's percentage of both precious and base metals; one bar silver more than 50%, two bars silver less than 50%. If no bars, then the mark is a regular hallmark.Barred marks may also have a regional assay office symbol(?).

The "new"swan mark has his wings spread out, his flippers are clear and the grass under his legs is gone.
I believe the bear has the old swan marks.
However the book World Hallmarks is not without little errors and/or maybe I read wrong or misunderstand.

Best,

Peter.

Source; World Hallmarks Volume I Europe 19th to 21st Centuries Hallmark Research Institute

[bijoux.expert]

The answer regarding the swan hallmark is not actually correct, despite having been copied from a reference book. I have been doing a lot of research into French hallmarks for a forthcoming book and I found that EVERY single book is full of errors, indeed many of the same errors have been copied from one author to another.
The swan hallmark is still used today to mark second-hand jewellery brought to be hallmarked and which does not have a visible French hallmark or maker's mark.
My definition of this hallmark is the following :
Swan in profile to the left in an oval frame. Introduced in 1893 for imported silver watch cases, it replaced the chimera hallmark. It is also since 1902 a second-hand hallmark, stamped on any silver object without a legible French hallmark brought to the hallmark office by second-hand jewellery dealers, the Credit Municipal (government pawnbroker) or by auctioneers. Assay office symbol behind the head. Paris and departments, small module since 1893, larger module since 1962.

[AG2012]

Hi,
For example, French vesta cases have two marks (made of two parts), but no mark on the lid.
Regards

[AG2012]

Is this correct ?
For gold: Owl Hallmark in an oval indicating import into France from a Non-Treaty Country meting minimum standards (1893-1990.)
75 for Paris

[JayT]

Absolutely agree with bijoux.expert about the swan mark still being in use today, as I stated much less eloquently in the post above oel’s.

AG2012: Yes for the owl, but it continues in use today, with a slight change in appearance of the bird. See this post:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=38563&p=105324&hilit=Owl#p105324

[oel]

Indeed the swan mark is still used today. In 1984 the appearance of the Swan mark changed a little bit as mentioned in my earlier post.
Enjoy the weekend.

Peter.

[GiulyF]

Hy all,
'I'm trying to understand better and at least, finally, the exact meaning of the item non-treated country, what does it mean? what are these countries that belong to another "parallel universe"? are they so defined because they have no official regulations on precious metals and minimum securities and guarantees? Is there anyone who can help me and make a list? in 1893 can countries of the African continent or coming from East or from remote Asia be counted? was the USA included in this entry?

thanks in advance!!!

[oel]

Hi, why not buy some relevant books about hallmarks? Perhaps helpful for your research;



Peter.

Source; World Hallmarks Volume I, hallmarks of Europe 19th to 21st Centuries William B. Whetstone, Danusia V. Niklewicz, Lindy L. Matula 2nd Edition, page 108, 110, 111 France.

[GiulyF]

Source; World Hallmarks Volume I, hallmarks of Europe 19th to 21st Centuries William B. Whetstone, Danusia V. Niklewicz, Lindy L. Matula 2nd Edition, page 108, 110, 111 France

Thank you for the celery, I'll do

[oel]

Your welcome, enjoy the celery. Nice with a veggie dip.

Best,

Peter.

[GiulyF]

[quote=oel post_id=211044 time=1682439799 user_id=7287]
Your welcome, enjoy the celery. Nice with a veggie dip.

Best,

Peter.
[/quote]
aahahah I meant celeriTY!!!

leave the celery for the smelly halls