I presume the owner was also a member of an order of the ancien regime. But I am not sure which. I had no luck finding the coat of arms, maybe someone else will.
French Coat of Arms, Bees and a medal
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Francais
French Coat of Arms, Bees and a medal
This is on a French 18th c. spoon. The center is three bees, but the most interesting thing is the medal hanging below.
I presume the owner was also a member of an order of the ancien regime. But I am not sure which. I had no luck finding the coat of arms, maybe someone else will.
I presume the owner was also a member of an order of the ancien regime. But I am not sure which. I had no luck finding the coat of arms, maybe someone else will.
Re: French Coat of Arms, Bees and a medal
The medal suspended under the armorial could be the Order of Saint Michael (Orde de Saint-Michel), although the engraving is a bit schematic to be completely certain. The insignia of the order was a Maltese cross, each arm of the cross ending in two pellets, with a fleur de lys between each arm. The centre of the cross had a circular medallion depicting Saint Michael standing on a rock (Mont Saint-Michel) slaying the dragon.
The Order of Saint Michael was the oldest French chivalric order, awarded by the monarch to the most powerful aristocrats. It was established in 1469 by Louis XI, abolished by Louis XVI in 1790, revived by Louis XVIII in 1816 and transformed to the Order of Arts and Letters - an order of civil merit - in 1830. Your favourite search engine can tell you much more about it and help you decide if my attribution is plausible.
The Order of Saint Michael was the oldest French chivalric order, awarded by the monarch to the most powerful aristocrats. It was established in 1469 by Louis XI, abolished by Louis XVI in 1790, revived by Louis XVIII in 1816 and transformed to the Order of Arts and Letters - an order of civil merit - in 1830. Your favourite search engine can tell you much more about it and help you decide if my attribution is plausible.
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Francais
Re: French Coat of Arms, Bees and a medal
Hi,
Thanks.
Maybe you are right, but you would think and engraver could do a fleur de lys instead of a pointed lozenge. I take it there are no orders with a closer fillers? You are doing better than me, I hate to admit it, but I thought it was the legion of honneur, until of course I looked at it.
I guess it is because I stupidly missed out on a piece with the legion of honneur on it.
Maurice
Thanks.
Maybe you are right, but you would think and engraver could do a fleur de lys instead of a pointed lozenge. I take it there are no orders with a closer fillers? You are doing better than me, I hate to admit it, but I thought it was the legion of honneur, until of course I looked at it.
I guess it is because I stupidly missed out on a piece with the legion of honneur on it.
Maurice
Re: French Coat of Arms, Bees and a medal
My pleasure to help. This is my best guess. The engraver's bees are very schematic, so maybe his fleur de lysare also? A definitive answer might be had from a fee-based armorial research service.
As you know the Legion of Honour has a five-armed cross hanging from a laurel-leaf crown and the central medallion is relatively large. The order was founded by Bonaparte in the early nineteenth century - too late for your eighteenth century item.
Good luck as you continue to research this flatware!
As you know the Legion of Honour has a five-armed cross hanging from a laurel-leaf crown and the central medallion is relatively large. The order was founded by Bonaparte in the early nineteenth century - too late for your eighteenth century item.
Good luck as you continue to research this flatware!