A French Sterling chalice?

PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
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Gwaihir
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:46 am

A French Sterling chalice?

Post by Gwaihir »

Hello

Could you please help me identify this chalice? Is it French? It's presumably entirely sterling silver, right? I'm a complete amateur.
Your help will be much appreciated. Thank you!

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JayT
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Posts: 979
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:45 pm

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by JayT »

Hello and welcome!
Yes, this is French, made after 1838 of 950 standard silver as shown by the Minerva head in an octagonal reserve.
The maker's mark is the one in the lozenge-shaped reserve, but looks too blurry on my monitor to read. If you could sharpen up the image I might be able to tell you who made your footed cup.
Where are the marks placed? If the item is made entirely of silver the object should be marked on the base and close to the rim.
Gwaihir
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:46 am

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by Gwaihir »

Thank you JayT!

Looking at the writing, to me it seems like it says 'TARALLE'. I don't seem to be able to take a sharper picture as it's so small. It's on the actual cup.

Now looking around the stemp of the chalice, I can see another lozenge shaped mark, which is just too small to read. It seems like it's the same as the one on the cup.

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Now on the bottom of the chalice there is something what might be a mark but I can't see anything particular in it. Also there is a number 2101 below another lozenge shaped logo. I can't see anything in it so I wonder whether it could have just faded.

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Gwaihir
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:46 am

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by Gwaihir »

Also, and I don't know whether that's of any help, the chalice measures 22cm and weights 300g.
JayT
contributor
Posts: 979
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:45 pm

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by JayT »

Thanks for the additional info. The chalice is marked in all the right places, meaning that the whole object is 950 standard silver, slightly higher than sterling silver.
It was made by Eugène Taralle, a manufacturing jeweller working in Paris at 186, rue Saint-Martin. Taralle was in business for only a short time - 31 October 1877 until 16 November1880 - allowing you to date the chalice with some precision.
Source: French Ministry of Culture website.
Gwaihir
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:46 am

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by Gwaihir »

Thank you for the information! That's very kind of you to look it up. Now if I can get to restore it! :)
JayT
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Posts: 979
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:45 pm

Re: A French Sterling chalice?

Post by JayT »

My pleasure!
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