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I'm doing research for volume 2 of my book on French jewellery and silverware. I've found that every single book on French hallmarks is full of errors, they all just basically copied off each other and added their own errors. I've had to spend a lot of time at the French archives, and I still don't have all the information I need.
Is there anyone out there who has a decent and verified list of the assay office marks in French hallmarks for 1798 to 1819, at least for the offices from 1 to 40 (departments AIN to JURA) ? Verified as in verified correctly, not just copied from another book, which I probably have.
Alternatively, does anyone have any silverware from this period, 1798-1819 where there is a clear assay office number and a maker who has been 100% identified to a particular town? If I can get enough of these sure and verified numbers, I can fix up the listings I have.
I already did this to correct the list of assay office marks for 1819 to 1838 : the existing lists had been shifted by several numbers and I realised that by moving the list by two towns, everything fell into place. Everyone had just been using and copying these lists without checking.
Thanks !

I try to build the same lists !

The main problem I see in the published (French) books is that they never mention the départements that were conquered in Europe by the revolutionnary or napoleonic armies and that were lost/freed after Waterloo (about 24 départements). Moreover, there can be 2 or 3 assay offices in the same département... and they can change between the 3 periods.

I've never seen any list for 1798-1809, I haven't filled more than 42 lines (in 98). Unfortunately, I havn't noted the sources for each, mainly the books published recently on specific areas (cities or mint office) I think.

The ones I ave checked with an object, assay office number and maker are :

Orléans 50/52/43 as mentionned in the reference 2003 book.
Blois 46/48/39

Hi Bruno,

Michael Fieggen in his newly published book French Precious Metal Hallmarks from 1789 to date published a complete table lists of all the assay office marks in the hallmarks.





Peter.