Aristocratic "Count" crest on Alfenide cutlery pieces

[Greenwood]

Good evening all,

In my latest case of historic enigma's, I have acquired a 200-piece flatware chest. Most of the pieces are 19th-century and made by Manufacture de L'Alfenide, bearing their mark. Knife-blades are from Antonio Giacche in Milan. The pattern I am unable to find, but what is more curious is the family crest soldered onto the pieces on the backside.



The crest bears a crown with 9 pearls on stems, a crown signifying the rank of Count, or Conte in Italy. It features a lion passante holding a miniature tower in its outstretched paw, above alternating bands of blue and gold (horizontal striped as well as dotted bars).

Now, some pieces in the set where made by B.Bohrmann, Frankfurt, also bearing this crest. I have found that in the 1870's, Bohrmann was awarded the title of Court Supplier by the court of Saxen-Coburg. It might be plausible that Bohrmann made these crests on order of the cutlery set's owner, but I am unsure.

The set:

[Greenwood]

I am unable to make the pictures show directly.

The links to the pictures:

The crest: https://imgur.com/x5cdlvk

The set: https://imgur.com/uvqDzjJ

[dognose]

Hi,

Please embed your images as very few members will click on links.

https://postimages.org (choose 'Share', then copy the 'Hotlink for forums' code) is recommended.

Trev.

[Greenwood]

Thank you dognose.


The crest:


The set:


Logo of Antonio Giacche, Milan on the lid:

[amena]

Giacchè is a well-known silversmith, and it is normal that he had blades made with his name for the knives he produced.
On the other hand, it is strange to find cutlery produced by three different manufacturers in a flatware chest with Giacchè's logo

[Greenwood]

Giacchè is a well-known silversmith, and it is normal that he had blades made with his name for the knives he produced.
On the other hand, it is strange to find cutlery produced by three different manufacturers in a flatware chest with Giacchè's logo

Indeed, that was my thought exactly. The knives with his logo on the blades, also have handles bearing the Alfenide mark. It appears Giacchè only produced the knife blades for this set, as well as the chest. In fact, no silver-plated pieces in this chest were made by Giacchè. It is likely however, that he sold the pieces to a client by ordering for that person and fitting them with the knife blades.

[AG2012]

Rostfrei blades were normally produced elsewhere, not by silversmiths, and their names (logos) were etched.
For example, Zwilling blades can be found in silver flatware throughout Europe by many different silversmiths.
Regards

[amena]

This coat of arms, which I found with the help of an Italian heraldry site, although not identical to the one on cutlery, nevertheless has many similarities, which makes one think of an Italian family.

Also in this gravy boat, marked Giacchè, there is a heraldic coat of arms soldered on it.

The above leads me to think that the Giacchè company supplied the cutlery set by procuring raw cutlery, personalizing them with the coat of arms and finally electroplating them.
It remains to understand the presence of the pieces made by B. Bohrmann, Frankfurt.
Are they special pieces?
Are these also from silverplate?
Best
Amena

[Greenwood]

This coat of arms, which I found with the help of an Italian heraldry site, although not identical to the one on cutlery, nevertheless has many similarities, which makes one think of an Italian family.

Also in this gravy boat, marked Giacchè, there is a heraldic coat of arms soldered on it.

The above leads me to think that the Giacchè company supplied the cutlery set by procuring raw cutlery, personalizing them with the coat of arms and finally electroplating them.
It remains to understand the presence of the pieces made by B. Bohrmann, Frankfurt.
Are they special pieces?
Are these also from silverplate?
Best
Amena

Dear Amena,

I cannot thank you enough for your research! I have meticulously scrolled through heraldic dabatases online without succes. Having looked into the family you mentioned and...all pieces fit the puzzle. They were an aristocratic family with the rank of Conte (count) from Missaglia, north of Milan, up until at least the early 20th century. The coat of arms seems to have some variations within the family, but I am confident that this is indeed the crest displayed on this cutlery set. Will definately delve deeper into this family and its history. A big thank you!

Your theory about the coming-to-be of the pieces is very plausible, as Alfenide was known for its supply of base metal. Perhaps, those made by Bohrmann were added later, or bought seperately with the weapon soldered onto it.

I feel like a little boy right now. Had not expected this to ever surface.

[Greenwood]

PS: The Bohrmann pieces are also silverplated. They are marked [B-Candle-B] in a cirlce in a square - [NICKEL] (For Bohmrann's Nickelide line of silver-plated nickel-alloy) and [18] for the plating. According to Nikogosyan, these marks were in use in the 1870's.