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Hello and thank you to all the education that this community provides.

These are a pair of Silver French Sugar Tongs. The exterior of the tongs displays the octagonal rooster with the
numeral "1" at the feet, and the small head of Villard with an 8 and 5 next to his head. These indicate a date
of 1798-1809.

The makers mark in on the interior of the tongs, and it looks like "J (diamond) L" with a "C" beneath the diamond.
Above the makers mark is what I can only guess is a man riding a buffalo, or an overweight horse?
It is so difficult to see, and even more difficult to photograph. I hope you can magnify the photos.

Next to the makers mark is an unidentified mark. If I had to guess, it looks like a queen wearing a tiara.

Ok so you see that last pic of the diamond-shaped makers mark?

As you see it in the pic, we will assign directions like a compass rose North East South West,
so 12 o'clock is North and 3 o'clock is East and 6 o'clock is South and 9 o'clock is West.

When you look at 9 o'clock, that is the rider on top of the elephant.

The diamond would have to be rotated so that the rider is facing north for the orientation to be correct.

Does that make sense?

To answer your last question first, NO. Interpretation of French marks is hard enough when you have a good picture, your description of a man riding an elephant seems particularly appropriate as it reminds me of the story of a blind man describing an elephant.
Forget the other marks, take pictures of the maker's mark only. Use strong indirect lighting, no flash, if it's sunny put a folded sheet over your head, camera and piece. Or put the piece in a cut open white milk carton and use flood lights. Use the macro lens if you can't get it to focus, use the edge of a piece of paper next to it. Take a lot of pics until you get one that is useable. Then crop the photo, and blow it up.
I can't promise to identify the maker, but it is really difficult if you don't post a decent photo.
Good luck.
Maurice

The problem is that the makers mark is on the interior of the curve, so my camera lens cannot go any further.

I will have to get a macro lens to get a decent pic of the makers mark. Stay tuned and thanks.

It is possible that I have isolated the hallmark. We shall see soon enough----

The hallmark symbol which I thought was an elephant or an overweight horse appears to actually be
a representation of Lady Godiva, painted by Dutch artist Van Noort circa 1588.



I did some image enhancement and it seems to match this image, if I am not mistaken.

Your photo wasn't very good, but good enough. It is Jean Baptiste Lazare Clérin 1789 Paris. The figure is a cow or steer with an acorn underneath.
Maurice

Thank you very much, apology for the poor photo of the hallmark.

Hi,
Some additional info regarding Jean-Baptiste-Lazare Clérin :
Operated at 14 quai de la Mégisserie, Paris
Mark entered : 27 May 1789, 1801
N° de garantie : 460
N° de préfecture : 488
Symbol : an ox over a tassel (un boeuf, un gland au-dessous)
Hope this helps.