On 1789 February 21, with the appointment of the Election, Kalandrin was also entrusted to the mark duty on gold and silver. At this date, the Guards poinçon for the title was the Jurande P88, which came into force on 1788 November 12.
Due to the increase in mark duty activated by Fermier J.B. Fouache in 1780, fraud on rights was frequent (see Tab. (2) In Biblio) and many objects were circulating without marks or with false punches.
To counter this situation, Kalandrin considers it useful to increase the number of official marks for Paris, compared to the few envisaged by his predecessor H. Clavel, differentiating them with an order number.
On February 23 Kalandrin register your Charge, Discharge marks for large and small objects and other necessary minor ones: contremarque / recence, vieux, import while for others he keeps the previous ones of H. Clavel, as allowed, for export objects (see Auguste candelabra) and charges for small items (2 L intertwined).
The records of the National Archive (AE / Vig / 174) attest that on 23 Fevrier 1789 Kalandrin deposited 96 marks, some of which were repeated due to dirty punches. (3)
Charges are characterized by an italic A with an identification number in a double circle.
As a rule, two prints of the same mark were imprinted on the "plaque d'insculpation".
James Beaupuis found and cataloged (AE / Vig / 1340) (4) “a planche de cuivre insculpè da Kalandrin le 23 Fervier 1789” with the following marks:
- poinçons de Charge or / argent
- poinçons de Decharge or / argent
- poinçons de Decharge petite ouvrages
- poinçons de Decharge ouvrages vieux
- poinçons de Decharge ouvrages etranger .
- poinçon de Contremarque.
The punches have such a light incision that the first blow of the hammer makes the impression almost disappear. (Arch. Nat. KK 1347). (5)
The discovery of many incomplete and unclear marks on which the order numbers cannot be identified is attributable to this engraving defect and has led to many errors of interpretation.
Furthermore, due to the revolutionary events, various suspensions of Fermier's activity made the application of marks discontinuous.
The Discharge punches, a vine leaf in a circle, are characterized by an order number from 1 to 6 as can be seen from the plaque presented by Helft (6), similar to the Cassan one, relating to the period Jurande P89; both of these also have the following marks: discharge small objects, discharge old objects (Momus), counter-mark, export, import, pawnshop and hazard, which are believed to be partly similar to those of the Jurande P88 period.
This note intends to submit to the Forum the identification of Kalandrin marks of the Jurande P88 period (23 Feb. - 4 Sept.1789) and their use in relation to the historical events of the Revolution.
The temporal reconstruction was carried out thanks to the discovery of some fundamental documents listed in the bibliography and the study of objects observed in museum collections, in auctions, or on the online market.
The analysis of the Charge marks in this period was able to ascertain that the order number varies with a monthly counterclockwise progression, starting from number 1 positioned among the branches of A on 23 FEB. 89 to number 7 in the month 23 AUG – 22 SEP.
The unitary study of the three punches made it possible to identify the beginning of the work (charge) with a monthly precision, never reached before, and the end of the work with the payment of the rights (discharge), in a short period of time (Jurande P88 ), thanks to the stringent marking system established by Fermier.
Delays in strucking essay marks and duty payment occurred during the turbulent revolutionary periods (Storming of the Bastille 14 JUL. and Abolition of feudal rights and Artisan corporations 4 AUG 89.) These events interrupted the control and payment activities which were reactivated only after 5 SEPT., with the new Jurande P89.
Objects and Marks
The Henry Auguste candelabra from the MetMuseum collection identify in the card (Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings) presents the charge with n ° 1 among the branches of A for the period 23 FEB - 22 MAR 89. (7)
However, observation of the image also reveals the number 3 clearly referring to the period 23 APR - 22 MAY. The object ordered by the Duke of York was exported as evidenced by the discharge jug of H. Clavel that Kalandrin kept for the period of Jurande P88. (8)
The belt buckle, orfevre J -? from Proantic: Lucas L & F, presents charge A 2 on the right for the period 23 MAR - 22 APR but lacks discharge.
A Bernier expertise, engraver of the Mint in Paris dated April 24 1789, precisely describes Kalandrin's charge and indicates in the period the number 2 without indication of the position (9). The buckle confirms the counter-clockwise movement of the numbers from month to month.
The egg cup, orfevre ? - L from e-bay online, presents the charge A 3 on the left from the period 23 APR - 22 MAY and the decharge vine leaf 3 from the period 23 FEB - 22 MAY
The skewers, orfevre Clement Isidore Boucher from 925-100 Forum of 23 JUL 2020, present charge A 3 on the left for the period 23 APR - 22 MAY and discharge leaf vine 4 of the period 23 MAY - 22 SEP 89. End of work and payment rights are at least one month after the start of the work as indicated by the charge.
At the moment no objects have been found for the period 23 MAY - 22 JUN, but the position of the order number 4 should be again among the branches of A.
The salt spoons, orfevre J - E from the MetMuseum collection sheet (10), present the charge A 5 on the right for the period 23 JUN - 22 JUL and discharge leaf vine 4 from 23 MAY to 22 SEP.
At the moment no object has been found for the period 23 JUL - 22 AUG, but the position of order number 6 should be to the right of A.
This period was characterized by revolutionary upheavals (Bastille and Corporation abolition) and probably the activity of the Offices had been suspended.
The vegetable pan, orfevre L. J. M. Bouty from Proantic: Gilles Hervy, presents charge with number 7 among the branches of A for the period 23 AUG - 22 SEP and discharge leaf vine 4 of 23 MAR - 22 SEP.
This object, which also has the Fly counter-mark, must have been started before 23 FEB Kalandrin settlement, was presented for the census (fly mark), and then stamped with charge, jurande, and discharge in the short period between 23 AUG and 4 SET, as the 5 SEP starts the Jurande P89.
Some items with charge A5 of 23 Jun - 22 Jul were presented for the payment of fees after 5 Sep 89 with Jurande P89, which confirm the dating of the discharges.
The chalice and pyx, orfevre C. N. Delanoy from Proantic Lucas L&F, present charge A 5 on the right, Jurande P 89, and discharge vine leave 4 of 23 May - 22 Sep 89.
The liqueur glasses, orfevre J. N. Boulanger from the MetMuseum collection (11) present charge A 5 on the right but with Jurande P89 and vine leaf discharge 2 of 23 Sep - 22 Dec 89, about 2 months late.
The tastevin, orfevre C. N. Delanoy, from eBay Galerie Art 80, presents the charge A 7 among the branches of A from 23 Aug - 22 Sep, Jurande P 89 and discharge 2 vine leaves from 23 Sep - 22 Dec 89.
Bibliografia Kalandrin 1789
1) Assignment to J.F. Kalandrin for the general direction of rights and declaration.
Lettre patentes du Roi, pour la prise de possession de Jean-Francois Kalandrin, de la régie des droits y énoncés, qui commenceront le premier janvier 1787 & finiront le dernier décembre 1792.
Du 28 septembre 1786. Registrées Court des Aides le sept decémbre mil sept cent quatre-vingt-six.
2)Increase in duty mark fraud from 1779 to 1788.
Dictionnaire de la Ferme generale (1640-1794). Marque d’or et d’argent
DICOFG.hypotheses.org/1090
Comme toutes les taxes, la marque d’or et d’argent faisait l’objet d’une fraude relativement fréquente. L’augmentation des droits pratiquée par la Régie Fouache, sur ordre du ministre Terray, semble avoir accrue cette fraude. Circulaient alors beaucoup d’objets non frappés ou bien frappés de fausses marques.
Produits bruts et produit net de la régie des droits de marque d’or et d’argent (1779-1788)
3) Assignment to J. F. Kalandrin for the Regie of duty mark on gold and silver.
Arch. Nat.Zig 174
Le 23 février 1789, Jean Francois Kalandrin régisseur des droits d’Aides et autres y joints, fit insculper sur une table de cuivre couverte d’argent 96 nouveaux poinçons.
Chaque poinçon portait un point de remarque et un numéro d’ordre.
L’insculpation, faite in vertu d’une sentence de l’Election du 21 février 1789, eut lieu au bureau de Kalandrin situé à l’entresol de la Maison commune des Orfevres. Plusieurs empreintes durent étre biffées et reccomencées, car les premiéres avaient été faites “avec un poinçon salè”. La planche de cuivre fut confiée au greffier de l’Election.
4) Punches of J.F. Kalandrin
James Beaupuis. Poinçon d’orfevrerie. Repertoire analytique détaillé de la sous-serie AE/VIg.
Archives Nationales II° edition 2019 pag. 30-31.
Poinçons de la Regie J.F. Kalandrin insculpé le 23 fevrier 1789 AE/Vig/1340
- poinçons de charge pour ouvrages d’or et d’argent,
- poinçons de decharge pour ouvrages d’or et d’argent,
- poinçons de decharge des tre petits ouvrages d’or et d’argent,
- poinçons de decharge des ouvrages vieux,
- poinçons de decharge pour les ouvrages venant de l’etranger,
- poinçons de contremarque.
5) Low relief in the punches of charge.
Arch. Nat. Zig 1347
Maintenant le sentiment des Gardes de l’orfevrerie sur ce méme poinçon, la Régie vient d’adopter un sistéme de marque ancore plus éloigné de sa primitive institution qui est de montrer un A couronné trés distinct.
Cette nouvelle marque de charge présente un cercle renfermant un A dì un si faible relief, que le premier coup de marteau le fait disparaitre.
6) Poinçons decharge
Jacques Helft Nouveaux poinçons Editions Berger Levrault 1980 pag. 126
7) metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/194842
8) Tardy Poinçons d'argent 1981
9) Espertise Bernier Arch. Naz. Zig 174
10) metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/200238
11) metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/200284