www.925-1000.com

Hi,

I have not any specific knowledge relating Maltese silver, expect information provided in this forum.

For your information, I came accros this mark MA below a Maltese Cross on an item sold in May 2022 in France, a pair of round silver plates (see picture in the link below) :

(admin edit ...

Thanks blakstone for your additional biographical information regarding Antoine Louis Anthiaume. I appreciate it.

Thanks bijoux.expert for your comment regarding personalisation of silverware.
I did not consider so far personnalisation as a protection against thieves so far.
For me, it was more ...

Hello Jay,

Yes indeed, I have already seen silver items with individual letters punched, sometimes with few recurring signs like a star or a "fleur de lys".
I get your point, and it is true that some items are personalized not only through engraving a monogram (or coat(s) of arms), but also by ...

Dear Jay,

Thanks a lot for the information provided regarding the silversmith mark : Anthiaume Senior was indeed a well known maker, and we can suppose that his sons had a good training (in their father workshop or in a family friend workshop). Great that you also mentioned the references, I ...

Hi all,


Here it is a quite standard French silver fork.
According to the marks, this fork was made in Paris between 1798 and 1809 ("first cock" mark).
https://i.imgur.com/dCwb6qg.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/ISzKjWd.jpeg

The silversmith mark is : AL surmounted by an oak leaf ?, above a compass ...

Hi,

Considering the marks, I do not think it is French silver

Hi Peter,

Regarding the link between the small seal and pipe smoker : I agree on the fact that the form of the small seal is very similar to the one of the small tool often use by pipe smokers in order to push/compress tobacco in their pipe. Nevertheless, I would consider that the seal surface ...

Hi,

I could not be very specific regarding these marks, but :
- I think that you are right about the "12" mark : most probably fitness mark, that is 12 loths i-e 750/1000 silver.
That could suggest Germanic countries, Germanic states (before formation of Germany in 1870), Germany, or Austria ...

Hoping not to suffer the wrath of ourd distinguished forum administrators...

this subject would remind me this scene :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99z9qJwklBg

;-)

Hi,

Not a specialist of jewels, but the Minerva is most probably the "bordeless Minerva" for small guarantee mark for 800/1000 silver, punched from 1994 to now.
See for example (in French) :
https://achatorphysique.com/poincons-francais-garantie-argent .

It would be quite difficult to identify ...

Hi,

I would suggest to clean a bit the lozenge mark, in order to :
- have a better view of the "different" between the two letters (the symbol may be a plain sun with its ray, indeed)
- to ensure that the second letter (that may well be an "F") is not followed by small "RE" or "RES", thus being a ...

Hi Peter,

Thanks once more for your additional comments, that as often bring an interesting light on this silver item.
(thanks also for the link and the translation from Dutch !)

Now that you outlined that this is a pipe set​, it appears clearer for me. I personaly do not smoke, and since pipe is ...

Hi,

Some additionals pics for interested visitors.

https://i.postimg.cc/hX0TzPfT/IMG-5004.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/dZ0SXSpS/IMG-5003.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/grwjFkp4/IMG-5002.jpg

Regarding marks on the objects, we can see :
- 3 marks already published, punched near the main seal : town ...

Hi Peter,

Many thanks for your answer. I know from your various posts on this forum that you have a good knowledge of Dutch silver, so your information are precious to me (or us, forum readers !).
I also appreciate that you specified a reference book on antique Amsterdam silver ; by the way, it ...

Hi all,

I would like to know more about this object, a silver seal associated with a small penknife or toothpick (the expected use is not very clear to me).
I believe that it was made in Amstedam during the 2nd part of the 19th century, but I have little information about Dutch silver : I thus ask ...

Dear Krisztián,

Thanks a lot for the information provided !

Regarding the hallmark : I suppose that, on the full mark, we should have on the left side of the coat of arms a "1" above another one "1" (that cannot be seen on this spoon), is that correct ?
Regarding the ATF mark : I understand that ...

Hi all,

I would like to know more about this marrow spoon in silver, that I believe was made in Vienna in 1800.

https://i.postimg.cc/Btsp4bR2/Spoon-Vienna-IMG-4675.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Jtk8V6Vs/Vienna-1800-IMG-4677.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/KRfsdBzK/Marks-Vienna-and-silverm-IMG-4676.jpg ...

* "with the period suggested by the Mercury head." would be more correct !

Hi Jaume,

A bad news and a good news.
Bad news : I could not find such a mark in : Arminjon and alii, Dictionnaire des poinçons de fabricants d'ouvrages d'or et d'argent de Paris et de la Seine : 1838-1875 , Imprimerie nationale, 1994,
...but good news : I could find it in in the previous book ...

Hi Jaume,

Thanks a lot for this very detailed answer.
I think it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to read and share on this forum the opinion and explanation of several passionate and knowledgable people like you.
Your story about the "journey" of the Barcelona silversmiths registers is quite ...