Italian silver bowl, end of 20th century

[anikopol]

Hi all,

I own this Italian bowl with the mark :
- (a star) FI 665 in polygonal shape : maker's mark, and
- 800 in an oval : Italy after 1968


https://imgur.com/a/EP7Knij


https://imgur.com/a/eJBshdD

According to a first research, it could be made by Fani s.p.a., based in Scandicci, Firenze area.

- Do you confirm this attribution ?
- Would you have any additionnal information regarding this mark/company (registred date...) ?

Thanks for your help !

[amena]

According to the book "Punzoni dei preziosi italiani" the FANI company received the mark on 12 May 1977 and was closed down in 1995.
However, it seems that this company is alive and well and boasts of being founded in 1962.
https://www.yourwaytoflorence.com/mall/ ... /fanii.htm
???????
Amena

[dognose]

Perhaps when the firm was founded in 1962, their business was not involved in the production of items in precious metals, or maybe they had an earlier registration number, possibly under a different name.

Again, in 1995, perhaps they were not involved in the manufacture of pieces made from precious metals, and allowed their registration to lapse. Why pay for something not being required? If at some time they went back into production, then a later registration number would have been issued.

Lots of if's and maybe's!

Trev.

[anikopol]

Many thanks Amena & Trev. for your contributions, as usually very usefull and interesting.

Once more, it appears that we sometime have a better knowledge of old masters than modern ones !


Some additional researches on Italian legal databases shows that, as of today, there are:

FANI ARGENTI ANTICHI E MODERNI S.R.L. IN LIQUIDAZIONE
Partita IVA: 05090790485 - Codice Fiscale: 05090790485
Rag. Sociale: FANI ARGENTI ANTICHI E MODERNI S.R.L. IN LIQUIDAZIONE
Indirizzo: VIUZZO DEL PISCETTO 2/B - 50018 - SCANDICCI (FI)
Rea: 517665
https://www.ufficiocamerale.it/4158/fan ... quidazione

and :

FANI GIOIELLI S.R.L. (still active)
Partita IVA: 05168920485 - Codice Fiscale: 05168920485
Rag. Sociale: FANI GIOIELLI S.R.L.
Indirizzo: VIA CHARTA 77 - 50018 - SCANDICCI (FI)
Rea: 525762
PEC: fanigioielli@legalmail.it
Fatturato: € 2.880.389,00 (2022)
Dipendenti : 3 (2024)
Forma giuridica: SOCIETA' A RESPONSABILITA' LIMITATA
Data Iscrizione: 07/12/2001
https://www.ufficiocamerale.it/5416/fani-gioielli-srl

According to the website of the Fani Gioielli company (https://fanigioielli.it/), it was created "more than 50 years ago".
As the name of the company states it (Gioielli means jewels in Italian if I am correct), the firm sells jewels and watches, and not silverware (whereas "Fani argenti antichi e moderni" was producing silverware).

Same surname, same city of Scandicci, quite close businesses : Fani argenti antichi e moderni" and Fani Gioielli have probably family links, but I personnally cannot be more precise.

Is the "665 FI" maker mark the Fani argenti antichi e moderni's mark ? Or the mark of a third "Fani of Scandicci" company ?

Amena, does the book "Punzoni dei preziosi italiani" indicate an address for Fani firm ?

[amena]

FANI ARGENTI S.p.A di Fani Benito
Indirizzo: VIUZZO DEL PISCETTO 28 (sic) CASELLINA DI SCANDICCI (FI)

28 appears to be a misprint for 2/B
Now at 2/B via del Piscetto there is the
Oroplac S.r.l
metalworking

[anikopol]

Many thanks amena ; so a third "Fani of Scandicci" company, at last from a legal point of view.

According to :
https://www.fanishops.it/chi-siamo
the founder is Benito Fani, then assisted/followed by his two girls Helga and Marinella

So we can possibly assume that :
FANI ARGENTI S.p.A (seems closed), and that owned the FI 665 mark during the 1977-1995 period
was the predecessor of :
FANI GIOIELLI S.R.L. (still active)

... or that :

FANI ARGENTI S.p.A (seems closed)
was the predecessor of :
FANI ARGENTI ANTICHI E MODERNI S.R.L. (in liquidation)
that was the predecessor of :
FANI GIOIELLI S.R.L. (still active)

Interesting : a book Gli Argenti di Benito Fani edited in 1989
(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
possibly a commercial catalogue of Benito Fani's products available at that time ?


Still lots of if's and maybe's !