Anyone recognise this maker?

[techsol]

I have a French fish slice which has the Minerva mark on the handle, and a makers mark on the handle and blade. Does anyone recognise the maker?
Also is the blade likely to be silver as this is marked with the makers mark only? Any help greatly appreciated.

[techsol]

By the way, if it's not clear by the picture, the makers initials are ARD.

[silverport]

»ARD, with an “escroc”« mark in a square.

Hello »techsol«

For reason I’m not French, the French internet source of the »Ministry of Culture« I couldn’t use. So I couldn’t find out the maker, which sign is »ARD, with an “escroc”«.

I could inform you, that the slice blade isn’t made from any silver alloy — but plated only. It’s marked as often usual, only by the maker’s mark in a square.

That is in principle an incomplete marking — because the basic material, and the weight of silver used in the plate process has to be indicated too; e.g. »3 G« or »3 GRAM«. The blade is maybe made from »METAL BLANC«; so, also in a square, French articles have to be marked too, to prevent confusion in a mix up of materials.

I guess that the maker, by awareness, has marked the blade with his maker’s mark for non precious and plated objects only, to prevent confusion for marketing reason too. In maybe his kind of “view”, if he had marked that way, to indicate »METAL BLANC« on the blade too, all possible clients wouldn’t buy this slice — because almost like to buy only an item made from precious alloys.

In an information page on plate numbers, you could read some explanations also on French plated; please look here: http://www.925-1000.com/a_platenumbers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kind regards silverport

[jgl]

Patronyme M.O. : Crossard
Prénom (Etat civil) : Joseph
Initiales : J.C.
Poinçon : C.J./ARD
Profession : Fabricant orfèvre
Lieu(x) d'activité : 75 Paris
Adresse de l'atelie : 36 rue de Montmorency
Date d'insculpation : 10 avril 1900
Date de biffage : 15 avril 1920
N° de garantie : 11759
Symbole : une crosse d'évèque (pour C) barrée de ARD
Successeur : Crossard et Dogit, Dogit et Cie, 1920-1931

or

Patronyme M.O. : Crossard et Dogit
Initiales : C.D.
Profession : Fabricants orfèvres
Lieu d'activité : 75 Paris
Adresse de l'atelier : 26 rue Michel-le-Comte
Date d'insculpation : 15 avril 1920
Date de biffage : 10 mars 1931
N° de préfecture : 15915
N° de garantie : 3088
Symbole : une crosse et les lettres ARD