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Unknown Maker of French Box
Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:53 am
by dognose
Hi,
I've been sent some images by a friend trying to identify the maker of this silver box:
The mark appears to be JH or JN, either side of a symbol, maybe a skull and cross-bones? The marks are very small indeed.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Trev.
Re: Unknown Maker of French Box
Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:55 am
by JayT
Hi Trev
Best guess is Jean-Nicolas Hollegraff, working in Paris, first at 6 rue Montorgueil from 11 december 1850 to 6 January 1860. His mark at that address was JH with two olives attached at their stems (deux olives attachées à la tige) At his first address he is listed as a jeweller.
Hollegraff’s second mark, which this resembles more closely, is JH with 2 olives attached on crossed branches (deux olives attachées à leur branche). This mark was entered on 16 January 1860; no end date is given. He was then working at 17 rue Royer-Collard where he made religious objects. If this is indeed Hollegraff’s work, then your object is a pyx.
See Arminjon, V. II, p. 237, no. 02533 and no. 02535.
Re: Unknown Maker of French Box
Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 9:08 am
by dognose
Hi JayT,
Many thanks for your thoughts regarding this maker, they are appreciated.
Trev.
Re: Unknown Maker of French Box
Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:41 am
by JayT
My pleasure.