Need Help Identifying French Confiturier Silver Marks

[ronenros]

Hi,

I must admit that I'm often confused by French marks and these are no exception. There are three marks on either of this pair of confituriers. One is of a crowned lion on its side, looks a little like the Valenciennes town mark. The middle mark looks a little like the Paris charge mark for 1698-1703, but that seems early for this pair. The third mark is some type of animal. Does anyone have any idea about these marks? Any help would be appreciated!

Ron

[dognose]

Hi Ron,

Gebrüder Dingeldein, Hanau.

See: http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_hanau_marks_01.html

Trev.

[ronenros]

Hi Trev,

Thank you very much! I should have considered Hanau. Are these copies of French models?

Ron

[ronenros]

Trev,

One other thing - after doing a bit more research, it appears that these particular marks were used by Karl Kurz and then by Dingeldein. Would you concur Karl Kurz?

Regards,

Ron

[dognose]

I think it could be either. To my knowledge, these marks were used in various combinations.

As to whether they are copies of French pieces, of that I have no idea I'm afraid. If you are hell-bent on knowing that question, Kurz's pattern books, well, a lot of them, still exist in a German museum someplace. An internet search may find exactly where, and a question to that museum may reveal information.

See: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... rtz#p99878

Trev.

[ronenros]

Trev,

Thanks again for all of your help. I'll try to do some further research.

Best regards,

Ron

[JayT]

Think these items are a good example of the historicizing style that was the specialty of the Hanau makers, and are not direct copies of a known French piece. You have an eclectic mix: Louis XIV elements with the dolphins, a bit of rococo with the shell, some neoclassical with the water leaves, some empire with the swans, and finally some nineteenth century romantic with the lovebirds in their nests. In nineteenth century France you wouldn't find all those design elements together in one object.