www.925-1000.com

I have this rather nice French sifter, but I can't identify the maker nor the approximate date.

The marks clearly show it was made in Paris and has a purity of 0.950. The maker's mark is poorly stamped with half the mark missing and is very small, so I can't read it properly. I think it starts with VETS and doesn't really match VEYRAT shown on the forum's French marks, but I am probably wrong, as usual.

I would be very grateful if a member of the forum could identify the maker and approx date.

It also has two Minerva stamps, each with a different bigorne. Could someone explain why there are two Minervas (separate parts separately assayed, for example) and how I should interpret the two bigornes.

Many thanks,

Silverk.

Hello, it's Gustave Veyrat, silversmith between 1894 and 1911in Paris

That's splendid! Many thanks indeed.

Silverk.

I don’t think Gustave Veyrat is correct; the French Architectural & Patrimony website describes his 1894-1911 mark as “GV with a wineglass”. The mark here, though worn, is almost certainly “VEYRAT” with two stars: the mark of Jean Francois Veyrat (ca 1786-1868) and his son and successor Augustin Pierre Adolphe Veyrat (1809-1883), registered in 1831. There is no recorded cancellation date for the mark, but it was still in use until at least the 1880s (and probably later) by A. Veyrat & Fils: Augustin and his son Francois Augustin Veyrat. They lived and worked in the 10th arrondissement in Paris on rue du Malte, later Chateau d’Eau.

Gustave Veyrat – whose full name was Gustave Veyrat-Masson - was born in Paris in the 19th arrondissement on 26 Mar 1869, the son of Emmanuel Veyrat-Masson & Philomene Augustine Cochois. His home and shop were at 7 rue du Perche in the 3rd arrondissement, and he was not, as far as I can tell, related to the more prominent Veyrat family of silversmiths.

See: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... rat#p89430

Trev.

Thanks to all contributors on this one. I've looked very carefully at the stamp and it does appear to have a mark above and below the name. They are very rubbed/not well stamped and they could well be stars, though that may well be more imagination than reality!

It does seem likely, then, that it was made by either Jean or Augustin, but which one would probably come down to the style of the piece. Again, my knowledge of French silver is too weak to say when during the 19th century this may have been made.

Regards,

Silverk.