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Hi, I'm new to the forum but have used this website for years. I am stuck on a couple marks on two bowls. The bowls look like French ecuelle, but the hallmarks seem like hanau or obscure continental marks. Any help would be deeply appreciated in identifying the age and maker. Thank you!





(admin edit - only one item per topic - please start a new topic with your other item)

it is from Genf (swiss)

Dear Doveplace

Welcom to the forum.

Theo is right, this is Geneva, in Switzerland. In the 19th century silversmith marked their items with their mark, initials. Additionally, a wardein "maire juré" marked the item with the city mark with his initials. 16 different city marks are known, however detailed research is not done.

Your item bears the maker mark of Moïse-Gabriel Ducré, (1742-1804), Master 1777. Wardein is Antoine Renaud, (1730-1792), Master 1755.

So we can date your item in the time from 1777 to 1792.

Regards

Jörg

Sorry, in the 18th century, of course, not in the 19th!!

Jörg

Thank you so much to all! This really helps.

There are two other bits of information that can be gleaned from the marks.

First, at this time, Geneva had three silver standards: the first of 11 deniers (.913), which were marked with the warden's mark and the maker's mark, 10 deniers (.833), which were marked with the warden's mark and the maker's mark struck twice, and the third of 9 deniers (.750), which were marked with the maker's mark only (i.e., no warden's mark). Your piece corresponds to the first of these, and is therefore presumably .917 fine.

Second, the Geneva warden's jury comprised three members, with a new warden elected each year for a term of three years. Their terms were therefore staggered, and while it is not known whether they each used their own mark or whether they all used the mark of the senior warden, logic dictates that any given warden's mark can only have been used during his tenure. Antoine Renaud served as warden 1785-1787, thus presumably limiting the date of your piece to those years.

Hope this helps!

Ref: Pierre-François de Vevey, Manuel des Orfèvres de Suisse Romande (Fribourg: Sotheby’s Office du Livre, 1985), pp. 54-56.