Nice but weird markings on XVIII Ragout spoon

[lmallier]

Hi,
I don' seem to be able to find consistent information on the hallmarks of this spoon.
The Tardy is not precise enough...
My findings:
City :Dole
Silversmith: Joseph Opinel (started business in 1749 apparently)
Date: ??? Tardy says 1674-1689 on the Cross with crown and the R with crown is not equivalent to the 1778 highlighted in the same book.




ANy ideas?
THanks.

[blakstone]

Joseph Opinel was born 8 Sep 1715, became a master 10 Oct 1749, and died 27 Nov 1794. During his working dates of 1749-1794 the jurande letter “R” was used twice:

2 Aug 1757-12 Nov 1758 (guardian Jacques-François Rouhier)
19 Jan 1782-27 Jan 1783 (guardian Étienne-Michel Fady)

The mark here is pinched, making it difficult to decipher, compounded by the fact that my source has an imperfect mark for 1757/8 and none for 1782/3. That said, I feel reasonably certain that your (very nice!) spoon is the latter: 1782/3.

Hope this helps!

Ref: Solange Brault-Lerch, Les Orfèvres de Franche-Comté (Geneva: Librairie Droz, 1976), pp. 431-432 & 464; marks 218 & 236.

[lmallier]

Thanks for this comprehensive answer, I appreciate it.
There is inconsistency in the dating mainly due to a lack of precise documents. My Tardy is not very clear for once. What bothers me is the Crown on the X (or double C) which is in 2 parts for sure and not in one part as it should for mid to end 18th century (not due to hallmark being piched). Do you have any info on this in your precious book?
Moreover, could it be another silversmith from Dole, an earlier one bearing the same initials? The marks below are the Dole City Marks, usable by any other silversmith.
Case not closed on my side, I shall update the thread if I find anything relevant.
Cheers.

[blakstone]

My copy of Tardy doesn't include any marks for Dole (I admittedly have an old edition) so I'm not quite sure what you mean when you say "the Crown on the X (or double C) which is in 2 parts for sure and not in one part as it should for mid to end 18th century".

But Brault-Lerch is very specific and far more authoritative than Tardy. The crowned addorsed C's was the marque de reconnaissance (i.e., the mint or city mark) of both Besançon and Dole. Unlike Besançon, which used five slightly different variations through the course of the 18th century, the mark of Dole did not vary. Brault-Lerch states this expressly, and illustrates but a single 18th century marque de reconnaissance for Dole, identical to that on your spoon.

So your initial identification of Joseph Opinel of Dole is correct; the only uncertainty is whether it is 1757/8 or 1782/3, and I lean towards the latter.

[lmallier]

You answered to my question very precisely. Dole it is, Opinel it is, and mid to end 18th century it is ;-) I would prefer the 1758 mark but having not seen them I will rely on your conclusion.
Thanks a lot!


PS: if you look very carefully you will see differences in the crown above the addorsed C hallmark depending on the period. Sometime the crown is plain (marked in one piece) and sometimes the crown is made in 2 or more parts (with space between them). That is what I wanted to highlight in my previous post. The crown on mine has a clear space between the middle tip and the rest of the crown. Sorry if I am unclear, English is not my mothertongue ;-)

[lmallier]

Just FYI, here is what the Louis Carre Guide to old french plate is saying: