Unsual marks- probably continental on a beautiful tankard

Adriane1 · Post by **Adriane1** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:44 pm

I am unable to identify this mark, there are only two different marks on the piece. Thank you for your help!
Adriane

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Bahner · Post by **Bahner** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:56 pm

Hello, interesting piece. The mark with the guy looking left could be the French export mark in use since July, 1879. The lozenge mark would be the maker. Looks like E and P, in between a knife, with the blade looking upward. Could be Puiforcat from Paris. Best wishes, Bahner

blakstone · Post by **blakstone** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:48 pm

Unfortunately, I can tell you categorically that this is a fake. The marks are in imitation of Puiforcat & the French export marks, but they are spurious. This is at least the third time I have seen one of these. There is also a very similar model of tankard floating around that is more Renaissance in style rather than Romantic, with male warrior figures, but it is certainly of the same origin and it, too, has the same fake Puiforcat marks - though sometimes you see it with fake Russian or German marks!

Both tankards have been popping up regularly at auction houses for the last few years. I believe they are actually silver, not plate, and the work is competent, though not stellar. (I mean, look at the figure of Diana on the finial - she's muddy and ill-proportioned and downright goofy-looking: hardly the work of a maker of Puiforcat's skill.)

Trust me: I work in an auction house and this and the other tankard I mention are notorious in the industry. They are absolutely of recent manufacture.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news . . .

Adriane1 · Post by **Adriane1** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:39 am

Thank you, I had suspected as much.