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Hello everyone,

I inherited this somewhat dented coffee pot from my French grandmother. I have tried to identify the makers mark on the bottom of the pot, but can't find it in the listings. I'm not even sure I have it the right way up! It looks like E H... Any help would be much appreciated in determining how old it is and where it might have come from.

There's also a coat of arms - if anyone can throw any light on that as well.

Many thanks.

It is upside-down; the mark is “HP” with (top to bottom): 1) an heraldic ermine-spot, 2) a bell, and 3) three pellets. It’s the mark of Paris silversmith Hyacinthe-Prosper Bourg of Paris, registered 20 Apr 1824 and cancelled 3 Aug 1854.

The arms are those of le Sergeant d’Hendecourt (Heudeourt), a large family originally from Artois, but which by the time this piece was made had spread to Normandy, Brittany, Picardy, as well as England and Belgium. The arms are more usually rendered with the clubs of the supporting savages reasting on their shoulders, thus:



What other marks are on it? They would help date it. It looks to be Louis-Philippe, 1835 or so.

Hope this helps!

Refs:
Catherine Arminjon, et al., Dictionnaire des Poinçons de Fabricants d'Ouvrages d'Or et d'Argent 1798 — 1838 (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1991), p. 166, mark #1449
Le Marquis de Magny, Livre d’Or de la Noblesse (Paris: Claye & Taillefer, 1847), pp. 455-468.

One typo: the mark is "HPB", not "HP". The lowermost letter "B" of the mark is obscured by the overstruck dot (which appears here at the top because, as I say, the photo is inverted).

Sorry about that.

Thank you very much for the comprehensive reply - and the image of the crest in colour - it really brings it to life! My grandmother was a Viscountess (de Bonneault I think, from the Amiens area) and we have several pieces of silverware with what we believe is the family crest on them, but I don't know how I would research the heraldry. I don't think the crest on this coffee pot is a family one as the others are quite different.

Thanks again for your help!

Sarah