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

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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



EB and an hourglass / un sablier
French silverplate maker Brille Henri Emile French silverplate maker Brille Henri Emile Brille Henri Emile, 12 rue Debelleyme, Paris, active from 1930
EC L and a wreath / une gerbe
French silverplate maker: Chauvin & Lacombe Chauvin & Lacombe, 8 rue de Braque, Paris, active c. 1920
EC Vve and a running rabbit / un lapin courant
French silverplate maker: Veuve Léontine Compère, widow of Ernest Compère Veuve Léontine Compère, 79 rue Quincampoix, Paris, widow of Ernest Compère (1868-1888) active 1888-1911
EH and a stirrup / un ètrier
French silverplate maker: Hermès Emile French silverplate maker: Hermès Emile Hermès Emile, 21 rue Boissy d'Anglas, Paris, active from 1922
EP and a pocket knife / un couteau de poche
French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile (after 1983) French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile (after 1983) French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile (after 1983) French silverplate maker: Puiforcat Emile (after 1983) Puiforcat Emile, company founded in Paris in 1820 by Emile Puiforcat and his two cousins. Owes most of its renown to Jean Puiforcat (1897-1945), who established the company in the avant-garde of modern silverwork
E PROST and a fork / une fourchette
French silverplate maker: Prost Ernest Prost Ernest, 68 quai des Orfévres, Paris, active c.1913. Successor to Laigniez-Sollier "A la gerbe d'or"
E.V. METAL or ARGENTA into a shield and a lion / dans un blason et un lion
French silverplate maker: Varet E. French silverplate maker: Varet E. French silverplate maker: Varet E. Varet E., 5 rue des Haudriettes, Paris, active c. 1900





FC and a crown / une couronne
French silverplate maker: Chéron Félix French silverplate maker: Chéron Félix French silverplate maker: Chéron Félix French silverplate maker: Chéron Félix Chéron Félix, factory active in Méry-sur-Oise (Seine-et-Oise, north of Paris). Founded by Félix Chéron, manufacturer of "Couverts de Méry" on its own base metal "Blanc Méry". Bought after bankrupt by Christofle in 1877 maintaining Cheron as director
FELIX Fres
FELIX FRERES

French silverplate maker: Félix Frères French silverplate maker: Félix Frères Félix Frères, 1 rue Alsace, Toulouse, active c. 1875
FF and a croissant / un croissant
French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise French silverplate maker: Frionnet Françoise Frionnet François, 8 rue des Quatre-Fils, Paris, succeeded to Frionnet Albert in 1944
FF and a winged lion / un lion ailé
French silverplate maker:FF Maker not identified
FF sorrounding a mallet / entourant un maillet
French silverplate maker:FF French silverplate maker:FF Maker not identified
FL and a crescent moon, an arrow, a star below / un croissant de lune, une flèche, une étoile en dessous
French silverplate maker: Levrat François French silverplate maker: Levrat François Levrat François, Paris, active from 1811
F.N and a six pointed star in a sun / une étoile à six branches dans un soleil
French silverplate maker: Nicolle Fred. Nicolle Fred., 175 rue du Temple, Paris, active c. 1900
FO and map of France / Carte de France
French silverplate maker: Sté France Orfèvrerie Sté France Orfèvrerie, 36 Avenue de Sébastopol, Paris, active from 1949
FONTALIRANT and a crescent under a star / un croissant horizontal surmonté d'une étoile
French silverplate maker: Fontalirant A. Fontalirant A.,


GALLIA and a rooster / un coq
French silverplate maker: Orfèvrerie Gallia French silverplate maker: Orfèvrerie Gallia Gallia a trade mark of Christofle
G (Gothic) into a crowned shield / dans un écu couronné
French silverplate maker: Gombault (Jean) French silverplate maker: Gombault (Jean) French silverplate maker: Gombault & F. Chéron French silverplate maker: Gombault & F. Chéron Gombault,
Gombault & F. Chéron, 66 rue du Marais, Paris
GC and a hammer / un marteau
Maison Vve Ch. Halphen Desclercs successors of Gombault & Cheron. The Gombault mark was used on "maillechort extra blanc non argenté". Both were part of Manufacture de l'Alfenide
GANDAIS and "DOUBLÉ" into a square
French silverplate maker: Gandais Jacques Augustin French silverplate maker: Gandais Jacques Augustin Gandais Jacques Augustin, active c.1834
GB and a stool / un tabouret
French silverplate maker: Boin - Taburet French silverplate maker: Boin - Taburet Boin - Taburet, 3 rue Pasquier, Paris, active c. 1900
GB and a dog into a square / un chien dans un carré
French silverplate maker: Benoît Georges Benoît Georges, 5 rue du Perche, Paris, active from 1922
GC and a sword / une épée
French silverplate maker: Carpentier Gustave fils French silverplate maker: Carpentier Gustave fils French silverplate maker: Carpentier Gustave fils Carpentier Gustave fils, 40 quai Jemmapes, Paris, active from 1922
GC and a cross of Lorraine / une croix double de Lorraine
French silverplate maker: Chevalier Gustave Chevalier Gustave, 3 rue Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth, Paris, active from 1886
GD and a silversmith's hammer / un marteau d'orfèvre
French silverplate maker: Maker not identified French silverplate maker: Maker not identified Maker not identified
G.D. and a wolf dog head / une tête de chien loup
French silverplate maker: Maker Dufour Gaston French silverplate maker: Maker Dufour Gaston Dufour Gaston, 103 boulevard de ménilmontant, Paris, active from 1946
GD or GR and a cup flanked by two dolphins / une coupe flanquée de deux dauphins
French silverplate maker: Cavy, successors of Gallonde & Renou French silverplate maker: Cavy, successors of Gallonde & Renou Cavy, Successors to Gallonde & Renou
GD and a press / une presse
French silverplate maker: G. Durousseau (possibly) Durousseau G. (possibly), Lyon, possible predecessor of Durousseau & Raynaud
GD and a star / une étoile
French silverplate maker: Delpech Gaston Delpech Gaston, 8 rue Pastourelle, Paris, active c. 1919
GFL and a chisel / un ciseau d'orfèvre
French silverplate maker: Fouquet-Lapar George Fouquet-Lapar George, 25 rue de Choiseul, Paris, active 1897-1925. Succeeded to his father in law Leon Lapar
GFres and crossed hammer and brush over a star / un marteau et brosse croisée surmontant une étoile
French silverplate maker: Gonthier Jeune & Cie Gonthier Jeune & Cie, factory in Amiens



GG and a boxer / un boxeur
French silverplate maker: Gabriel Gay & Cie Gay Gabriel & Cie, Grenoble
GG and a star / une étoile
French silverplate maker: Giacobbi Georges French silverplate maker: Giacobbi Georges Giacobbi Georges, 38 rue des Blancs Manteaux, Paris, active from 1919
GM
French silverplate maker not identified GM French silverplate maker not identified GM Maker not identified
G.R. and an eagle / un aigle
French silverplate maker not identified G.R. Maker not identified
GR and a winged helmet / un casque ailé
French silverplate maker not identified G.R. Maker not identified
GR and an engraver tool with a star / un boulet de graveur surmonté d'une étoile
French silverplate maker: Rocher Georges Rocher Georges, 31 rue de Debelleyme, Paris, active 1920-1924
GV and a van / un van
French silverplate maker: Van den Bogaert Guillaume Van den Bogaert Guillaume, 12 rue de Crussol, Paris, active from 1904
GW and the word FRANCIA / le mot FRANCIA
French silverplate maker: Well George French silverplate maker: Well George Well George, 24 rue Béranger, Paris, mark registered in 1938. Known a similar mark with the word LUTETIA (registered in 1936)


H&Cie and a rosebud above, a star below the initials / un bouton de rose au-dessus, une étoile au-dessous des initiales
French silverplate maker: Hénin & Cie Hénin & Cie, 77 rue des Archives, Paris, active from 1896. Succeeded to Hénin & Vivier
H.B and a bird / un oiseau
French silverplate maker: Babarit Henri Babarit Henri, 8 Boulevard des Italiens and 96 rue de Rivoli (Au Cadran Lumineux), Paris, active c. 1900
Factory at Villers-le-Lac, Doubs
H.Fres and a flower / un fleur à 9 pétals French silverplate maker: Hauser Frères Hauser Frères, 153 rue Parmentier, Paris, active c. 1900
HK and a grasshopper pierced by an arrow / une sauterelle transpercée d'une flèche
French silverplate maker: Kindberg Henry French silverplate maker: Kindberg Henry Kindberg Henry, Paris, active 1824-1838
HL and an olive branch / une branche d'olivier
French silverplate maker: Landenwetsch Henri Landenwetsch Henri, 37 rue du Chemin Vert, Paris, active c. 1904
HL and a windmill / un moulin à vent
French silverplate maker: Legrand Homère Legrand Homère, 21 rue d'Amiette à Sannois, Paris, active c. 1923
HS and a rising sun / un soleil levant
French silverplate maker: Soufflot Henri Soufflot Henri, 89 rue de Turbigo, Paris, active from 1884-1910


IM AM and a mallet / un maillet
French silverplate maker: Mailhan & Mailhan Mailhan & Mailhan (possibly)


J & Cie and a bird (jay) / un geai
French silverplate maker: Mailhan & Mailhan Jaymes & Cie, 14 rue Charlot, Paris, active c. 1920
JA and an arrow / une flèche
French silverplate maker: Philippe Joseph Allard French silverplate maker: Philippe Joseph Allard Allard Philippe Joseph , orfèvre, banquier, directeur de la Monnaie - Bruxelles 1804-1877
JACQUIN and two opposite heads / deux têtes opposées
French silverplate maker: Jacquin Alf. Jacquin Alf.
JB and a star over a lyre / une étoile, une lyre au-dessus
French silverplate maker: J. Brille French silverplate maker: J. Brille French silverplate maker: J. Brille French silverplate maker: J. Brille J. Brille, 59 rue Fontaine-au-Roi and 12 rue Debelleyme, Paris. Successor to Henry Brille (active c.1920s as Orbrille)
JDT and a tower / une tour
French silverplate maker: Della Torre Joseph Della Torre Joseph, rue de Montcel, Auvers sur Oise (S et O), active from 1932
JH and a bell / une cloche
French silverplate maker: Haskelson Jean Haskelson Jean, 14 rue de Debelleyeme, Paris, active c. 1921
JM and a gabion / un gabion
French silverplate maker: Moucheront Jean Moucheront Jean, 24 rue Beaubourg, Paris, active first quarter 20th century
JP
French silverplate maker not identified JP Maker not identified
J.P and a ram / un bélier
French silverplate maker: Julien Pierre Julien Pierre, 32 rue de l'Acqueduc, Paris, active c. 1900. Orfèvrerie "au bélier"
JR and a sitting squirrel / un écureuil assis
French silverplate maker: Rocher Jules Rocher Jules, 75 rue des Gravilliers, Paris, active 1884-1927. Succeeded by G. Durant


K&Cie, under a +, over a star / un + et une étoile au-dessus
French silverplate maker: Kahn & Compagnie Kahn & Compagnie, 1156 faubourg Poissonnière, Paris, active late 19th/early 20th century
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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