Search found 115 matches

by bijoux.expert
Tue Apr 08, 2025 11:20 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Pair of decanters from a tantalus
Replies: 3
Views: 658

Re: Pair of decanters from a tantalus

It would be terrific if you were to hold a loupe against the lens of your mobile phone and post some closeup photos of the hallmarks....
by bijoux.expert
Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:39 am
Forum: Mystery Objects
Topic: Tiffany Silver Soldered Object - What the heck is it?
Replies: 2
Views: 13592

Re: Tiffany Silver Soldered Object - What the heck is it?

In the past, some men had a small spirit burner, which was used to heat up tongs to shape a waxed moustache. Metal combs were also heated in a flame to straighten the hair in a beard. This object could be something like that. The arms wouldn't be needed for a snuffer, just replacing the lid would ...
by bijoux.expert
Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:08 am
Forum: Silver Jewelry - Single Image
Topic: Please help identify silver hallmark, French Import Weevil and unknown mark
Replies: 3
Views: 1563

Re: Please help identify silver hallmark, French Import Weevil and unknown mark

Looks like my computer was extremely slow to display your photos, I can see them now!
The weevil mark in a rectangular frame was introduced on 1st July 1893 for imported objects in silver of at least 800/1000 standard. It was withdrawn from use on 28th February 1990. I can't identify the oval ...
by bijoux.expert
Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:01 am
Forum: Silver Jewelry - Single Image
Topic: Please help identify silver hallmark, French Import Weevil and unknown mark
Replies: 3
Views: 1563

Re: Please help identify silver hallmark, French Import Weevil and unknown mark

You might consider uploading photos if you wish for people to help you with your request...
by bijoux.expert
Fri Mar 07, 2025 3:18 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Id French maker
Replies: 2
Views: 3555

Re: Id French maker

The maker is Joseph Heureaux, registered in Paris 1810-1811.
by bijoux.expert
Fri Mar 07, 2025 3:14 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French fork 1798-1809 - Additional mark FG in an oval ?
Replies: 8
Views: 4565

Re: French fork 1798-1809 - Additional mark FG in an oval ?

It's important to understand what the actual reason was for personalisation of silverware.
Silver has always been expensive and, at particular periods, very few different designs of flatware were in use. This meant that if you had guests over for dinner, there was a very good chance your flatware ...
by bijoux.expert
Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:09 am
Forum: Mystery Objects
Topic: What is this short-handled fork used for?
Replies: 3
Views: 14636

Re: What is this short-handled fork used for?

It would probably be a baby's fork. Sets with small forks and spoons or pushers were popular gifts in the past.
by bijoux.expert
Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:05 am
Forum: European Jewelry
Topic: sterling silver hallmark?
Replies: 2
Views: 13503

Re: sterling silver hallmark?

The hallmark of the Minerva head has been employed since the 16th of July 1984, not 1994 as stated above. It is employed on small silver items of at least 800/1000 fineness, and is also struck on second-hand items if they have a French maker's mark.
The maker's mark is more difficult, I haven't been ...
by bijoux.expert
Tue Jan 21, 2025 2:51 pm
Forum: Silver Care / Techniques
Topic: Cleaning Vermeil
Replies: 4
Views: 20854

Re: Cleaning Vermeil

Thanks for that.
by bijoux.expert
Sat Jan 18, 2025 2:53 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French Silver Spoon Fork Knife - what are they
Replies: 6
Views: 8919

Re: French Silver Spoon Fork Knife - what are they

A hors d'oeuvres service normally consists of four pieces, not three. A flat openwork spatula is missing from yours. These services were popular towards the end of the 19th century and continued until the 1930s. The handles are frequently hollow with a wax filling, and the blades and spoon parts are ...
by bijoux.expert
Wed Jan 15, 2025 7:57 am
Forum: Silver Care / Techniques
Topic: Cleaning Vermeil
Replies: 4
Views: 20854

Cleaning Vermeil

Vermeil, which is solid silver coated with a thin layer of gold, sometimes displays black oxidation and this can be unsightly.
Polishing it off will work, however this also removes some of the gold plating and can lead to its total loss in some areas.
The best solution is to dip the item in one of ...
by bijoux.expert
Wed Jan 01, 2025 4:04 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Odiot oil vinegar set
Replies: 8
Views: 14452

Re: Odiot oil vinegar set

The piece by Odiot is certainly of silver because A. Odiot never made silver-plated items and B. The lozenge-shaped maker's mark is reserved for items made in precious metals. Anything made of base metals is required to other-shaped marks, generally squares.
by bijoux.expert
Wed Jan 01, 2025 3:54 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Debrie cup with an English modification?
Replies: 12
Views: 12214

Re: Debrie cup with an English modification?

Looking at the cup, it looks all original to me. It would look very strange without the fruits, and as Zilvervik wrote, if the gilding on the inside is intact, the outside is almost certainly ok as well.
by bijoux.expert
Wed Dec 25, 2024 3:25 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Makers mark?
Replies: 11
Views: 8629

Re: Makers mark?

There are over 100 maker's marks to be found with the letters A T and at least five with the motif of a cross. The lower part of the mark is not clear on your object, and thus it's not easy to decide to which maker it should be attributed. Can you post of a photo of the title hallmark ? This can ...
by bijoux.expert
Fri Dec 20, 2024 9:54 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Silver fruitbowl, French? Maker?
Replies: 4
Views: 8041

Re: Silver fruitbowl, French? Maker?

The hallmark, a beahive surrounded by bees between the letters A R is that of Adolphe Roustaing, later Roustaing and Compagnie, from 1909 to sometime after 1929.
Source - Dictionnaire des joailliers, bijoutiers et orfèvres by Remi Verlet.
by bijoux.expert
Tue Dec 17, 2024 5:15 am
Forum: Gold Marks - Worldwide
Topic: French maker mark help please
Replies: 8
Views: 18094

Re: French maker mark help please

The mark to the right is without any doubt the French eagle hallmark for 18 carat gold.
The oval mark to the left is the French import mark. It's not clear enough to find in my books, it seems to read Sté C O or Sté C C with what looks like an open hand in the centre. Sté is the abbreviation for ...
by bijoux.expert
Mon Dec 02, 2024 7:49 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Can anyone help identify the master and the years of work?
Replies: 5
Views: 8660

Re: Can anyone help identify the master and the years of work?

Given a choice, I would go with the Ministry of Culture website, it tends to be more accurate though a bit frugal with information.
The Dictionary of Hallmarks by Verlet is full of errors, my example has loads of annotations and Postits.
by bijoux.expert
Mon Dec 02, 2024 7:42 pm
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French Scent Bottle Silver Cap Hallmark Help
Replies: 6
Views: 9332

Re: French Scent Bottle Silver Cap Hallmark Help

I'm hopeless on 18th century marks, best to ask the forum or check them.in Beuque.
by bijoux.expert
Wed Nov 27, 2024 7:48 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: French small box 19th?
Replies: 7
Views: 8837

Re: French small box 19th?

The Mercury head hallmark in a cut-out frame was in fact used from the 11th July 1840 until 31st March 1879. This mark was used for both gold and silver, and the problems caused by this ambiguity were resolved by the introduction of new Mercury export marks on 1st April 1879 with separate marks for ...
by bijoux.expert
Wed Nov 27, 2024 7:35 am
Forum: French Silver
Topic: Minerva + Kingdom of Sardinia
Replies: 4
Views: 8438

Re: Minerva + Kingdom of Sardinia

Your dish was made in Paris by Callot sometime after 1838 and stamped with the Parisian version of the Minerva hallmark. (There is in fact a difference between the Minervas struck in Paris or the departments.)
Then, at some point before 1860 the dish made its way to Nice where it was brought to ...

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