French silverplate marks: A - B

FRENCH SILVERPLATE MARKS
PLATED AND ELECTROPLATED SILVER MARKS OF FRANCE
DOUBLÉ, PLAQUÉE, METAL, METAL BLANC, MÉTAL ARGENTÉ
-A - B-

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French solid silver is characterized by series of hallmarks and the presence of the maker's mark in a lozenge/diamond-shaped cartouche.
On plated metal a square or rectangular cartouche is used for maker's mark.

From 1797 the mark of the "métal plaqué", equivalent to British "Old Sheffield Plate", was a square or rectangular cartouche containing:
- the initials of the maker
- the word "DOUBLÉ" or "PLAQUÉ"
- the figure indicating the quantity of silver (optional)
The thickness of silver was indicated by a number followed by a small "E", "M" or "EM", as abbreviation of Dixième (Tenth). The number represented the percentage of silver relative to the base metal (higher numbers are indicative of the poorest quality of plating)
French silverplate maker: Veyrat Jean-François French silverplate mark: doublé French silverplate mark: doublé French silverplate mark: plaqué


From 1860, to differentiate the "métal plaqué" from the "argenture par dépôt électrolytique", equivalent to British EPNS (Electro Plated Nickel Silver), were used square marks containing:
- the initials of the maker and the figure indicating the quantity of silver
French silverplate mark: after 1860


- the initials of the maker, a symbol and the figure indicating the quantity of silver
French silverplate mark after 1860 French silverplate mark after 1860


- the initials of the maker and a symbol accompanied by another cartouche containing the figure of the silver content
French silverplate mark after 1860 French silverplate mark after 1860


Sometimes they are accompanied by additional marks with the inscription "METAL" or "METAL BLANC" (WHITE METAL)
French additional silverplate mark: METAL French additional silverplate mark: METAL BLANC




MÉTAL ARGENTÉ
To strengthen consumer protection, the French Parliament voted on July 1, 1983 a law which reformed the Guarantee and codified the conditions of silver hallmarking. In this context it was decided to measure the thickness of silver deposited on the entire surface and to institute minimum standard thicknesses for silverplate.
The old mark expressed in grams, which is not compulsory, remains in use. Often it indicates silver weights greater than the new imposed standards.
The new square hallmark (applicable from August 1984) therefore guarantees the thickness of the silver layer deposited on the item.
The POINÇON CARRÉ is the official mark for "métal argenté".
It is a square containing:
- I or II, identifying the first or second quality of manufacture
- a symbol identifying the maker
- the initials of the maker
French silverplate mark: POINÇON CARRÉ French silverplate mark: POINÇON CARRÉ

These are the requirements to be allowed to use the "POINÇON CARRÉ" mark and "métal argenté" denomination
(plating thickness is measured in Micrometers: a micron is one thousandth of a millimeter or 0.001mm).
French silverplate mark: POINÇON CARRÉ, quality requirements in microns

NUMBERS IN FRENCH SILVERPLATE
The meaning of numbers in French silverplate marks has changed over time:
1797 - c. 1860
number accompanied by "E", "M" or "EM" (meaning Dixiéme / tenth) in the upper right corner. This number is the percentage of silver used to plate the copper ingot (plating was made using the system known in the UK as "Old Sheffield Plate")
c. 1860 - 1983
number alone or accompanied by "G" or "GR". This is the number of grams of silver used to plate a single item or a dozen of spoons or forks (referred to the process of silver electroplating which has supplanted the OSP system)
after 1983
"Roman" numbers I or II in a corner. This number identifies the first or second quality of "métal argenté". The quality of the plating is determined by the microns of silver present on the item (a micron is one thousandth of a millimetre or 0.001mm).

FRENCH SILVERPLATE MARKS

DIRECTORY BY INITIALS/SYMBOLS      DIRECTORY BY NAMES

MAKER'S MARK INITIAL: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z -

FRENCH SILVERPLATE MAKERS' MARKS



AB and a crescent and four stars / un croissant et quatre étoiles
French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe French silverplate maker: Boulenger Adolphe, marks on silverplate fatware Boulenger Adolphe, 4 rue du Vert-Bois, Paris, active 1876-1899

AB and a bumblebee / un bourdon
French silverplate maker: Alexandre & Bourdon AB Alexandre & Bourdon, 45 rue de Verbois, Paris, active c. 1900

AC and a crowned cross of honor / une croix d'honneur couronnée
French silverplate maker: Cardeilhac Amélie Cardeilhac Amélie, 24 place Vendôme, Paris, active 1914-1920

AC and an anchor / une ancre
French silverplate maker: not identified AC French silverplate maker: not identified AC Maker not identified

AC and a lyre / une lyre
French silverplate maker: Caploun André Caploun André, rue Pasturelle and rue de Turenne, Paris, active from 1921. in 1893/1896 in rue de Turbigo was active Clément-Auber who used a similar mark

AD and a woodcock / une bécasse
French silverplate maker: Debain Alphonse Debain Alphonse, 79 rue du Temple, Paris succeeding to Philippe Berthier, active 1883-1911

AD and a lion / un lion (the shaking hands is the "poinçon de bonne foi"/good faith mark)
French silverplate maker: Derivry Auguste French silverplate maker: Derivry Auguste Derivry Auguste, 52 rue de Bondy, Paris, active from 1923
French silverplate maker: Derivry Auguste
AD and a hammer and a wooden peg / un marteau et une mirette en bois
French silverplate maker: Derivry Auguste Dahl Aksel, 3 rue de la Perle, Paris, active from 1921
AF and an anchor / une ancre
French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand Frenais Armand, 77 boulevard Richard-Lenoir, Paris, active 1877-1927
Succeeded to Franche & Frenais maintaining in early times the old mark next to the "anchor" mark
French silverplate maker: Frenais Armand successors to Franche & Frenais
AF and a half moon / un croissant
rench silverplate maker: Frionnet Albert / A. Frionnet & Cie rench silverplate maker: Frionnet Albert / A. Frionnet & Cie Frionnet Albert / A. Frionnet & Cie, 8 rue des Quatre-Fils, Paris, active 1907-1944
Factories at 2 rue du Foin and 5 rue de Béarn, Paris and 36 rue de Lyon, Thiers (P. de D.). Succeeded by Frionnet François




AG and a bag / une bourse
French silverplate maker: Gudin Adolphe Gudin Adolphe, 1 rue Castex, Paris, active 1920-1922
AG and a symbol / un symbole
French silverplate maker: Gudin Adolphe A. Gelb, La Queue-en-Brie, active c. 1940 (possibly)
AL and a symbol / un symbole
French silverplate maker: not identified AL Maker not identified
AL a crescent, a star in the middle / un croissant, une étoile dans le milieu
French silverplate maker: Leclerc Aristide Leclerc Aristide, 10 rue Sainte-Anastase, Paris, active from 1900
AL and two crossed cutlery / deux couvert en croix
French silverplate maker: Lejeune A. Lejeune A., 83 rue du Temple, Paris where A. Ravinet acted as a section of Lejeune (c.1900)
ALFENIDE and a goat / une chèvre
French silverplate maker: Alfenide Alfenide a trade mark of Christofle
A.LOISEAU & Cie
French silverplate maker: A.Loiseau & Cie French silverplate maker: A.Loiseau & Cie French silverplate maker: A.Loiseau & Cie A.Loiseau & Cie, rue de la Madeleine, Besançon, late 19th/early 20th century
ALPACCA and a mouse / un rat
French silverplate maker: Société des Couverts de Mouroux Société des Couverts de Mouroux, 8 rue d'Angoulémee, Paris and 7 rue des Rochottes, Darney, Mouroux (factory), active from 1895
AM and a mallet / un maillet
French silverplate maker: Mailhan French silverplate maker: Mailhan Mailhan, 27 rue Aubry-le-Boucher, Paris, active from 1883
AP and a horse's head / une tête de cheval
French silverplate maker: Philippe Alfred Philippe Alfred, 112 rue du Temple, Paris, active c. 1921. Succeeded by Louis Philippe c. 1926
AR and a wheel / une roue
French silverplate maker: Roberge André Roberge André, 15 rue de Montmorency and 4 rue de l'Entrepôt, Paris, active 1918-1924
ARDJ and a cross / une crosse
French silverplate maker: Crossard Joseph Crossard Joseph, 36 rue de Montmorency, Paris, active 1900-1920
(succeeded by Crossard & Dogit 1920-1931)
AS and a ram's head / une tête de mouton
French silverplate maker: Soulat Auguste Soulat Auguste, 25 rue Michel-le-Comte and 103 rue du Temple, Paris, active from 1907
AU BON MARCHÉ
French silverplate maker: Au Bon Marché Au Bon Marché, a department store, Paris, active from c.1865


BAILLIER
French silverplate maker: not identified BAILLIER Maker not identified
B.B into a square
BB into a square
BB into a crown

French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bordelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle French silverplate maker: Bouillet & Bourdelle Bouillet & Bourdelle, 163 cours Émile Zola, Lyon-Villeurbanne, active 1896-present
Owners of flatware factory Cailar-Bayard. Store and flatware factory in Paris, 37-39 rue Grange-aux-Belles. The "ROYAL BB into a crown" trademark was registered in the USA (Serial number 73411227)
B Cie and a bicycle wheel / une roue de bicyclette
French silverplate maker: Brosse & Cie Brosse & Cie, 7 rue Froissart, Paris, active c. 1910
BJ and a crayfish / une écrevisse
French silverplate maker: Nadal Nadal, 19 rue de Poitou, Paris, active c. 1900. Successors to Maison de Jarcy
B.P into a shield, under a star / dans un blason avec une étoile
French silverplate maker: Pottecher & Cie Pottecher & Cie, Bussang, Vosges
Founded in 1838 by Benjamin Pottecher. Trade mark ÉTOILE
FRENCH SILVERPLATE MARKS

DIRECTORY BY INITIALS/SYMBOLS      DIRECTORY BY NAMES

MAKER'S MARK INITIAL: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z -

DIRECTORY OF FRENCH SILVERSMITHS HALLMARKS
REPERTOIRE DES ORFEVRES FRANCAIS

 AA      AH      B      CA      CG      D      EA      EJ      F      GA      GH      HA      HG      I      JA      JH      K      LA      LH      MA      MH      N      O      PA      PH      Q      R      S      T      U      V      W      X      Y      Z 


This is a page of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, sheffield plate, electroplate silver, silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, articles, books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths (Tiffany, Gorham, Jensen, Elkington, WMF, Reed & Barton, Mappin & Webb, Bateman Family), history, oddities ...
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