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Need help identifying marks
Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 6:49 pm
by niceguy1
HI
I need help identifying the marks on what I think is a Dutch spoon, when, where & by whom was it made?
Thanks
Re: Need help identifying marks
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:39 pm
by JayT
I’m not sure why you think this spoon is Dutch. To me, your spoon in the Thread or Filet pattern was made in Paris in 1781 of 950 standard silver. You show the silver standard / date letter mark of a crowned S for 1781, the charge mark of a crowned A used 1780-1789, and an export mark of a ewer for the same period.
The maker was Nicolas Gonthier. His mark was a crowned fleur-de-lys, two grains, initials NG and a crozier as the symbol. Gonthier had a long career. He apprenticed in 1738, and was received as a master on 24 December 1768. He was number 198 in terms of taxes paid by 1774, so a fairly prolific maker. He worked on the Pont du Change from 10 December 1781 until 1787, then he is known to have had an address on quai Pelletier from 1788-1793. He married Louise Royer on 13 March 1778.
In summary, your spoon was made in Paris in 1781 by Nicolas Gonthier.
See Nocq, v. 2, p. 265.
Hope this helps.
Re: Need help identifying marks
Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2017 2:48 pm
by niceguy1
Re: Need help identifying marks
Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2017 4:01 pm
by JayT
You’re welcome.
The objects by Gonthier in the Met are part of the Jacques Helft donation. Helft was a famous French antiques dealer who had very good taste in silver!