PLATED AND ELECTROPLATED SILVER MARKS OF FRANCE DOUBLÉ, PLAQUÉE, METAL, METAL BLANC, MÉTAL ARGENTÉ -A - B- |
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created by Giorgio B. owner of www.silvercollection.it ©  |
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FRENCH SILVERPLATE MARKS DIRECTORY BY INITIALS/SYMBOLS DIRECTORY BY NAMES MAKER'S MARK INITIAL: A - B C - D E - K L - O P - Z |
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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 |
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) |
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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 |
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- the initials of the maker, a symbol and the figure indicating the quantity of silver |
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- the initials of the maker and a symbol accompanied by another cartouche containing the figure of the silver content |
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Sometimes they are accompanied by additional marks with the inscription "METAL" or "METAL BLANC" (WHITE METAL) |
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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 
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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). 
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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 MAKERS |
Boulenger Adolphe, 4 rue du Vert-Bois, Paris, active 1876-1899AB and a crescent and four stars / un croissant et quatre étoiles 
Cardeilhac Amélie, 24 place Vendôme, Paris, active 1914-1920AC and a crowned cross of honor / une croix d'honneur couronnée 
Maker not identifiedAC and an anchor / une ancre 
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 AC and a lyre / une lyre 
Debain Alphonse, 79 rue du Temple, Paris succeeding to Philippe Berthier, active 1883-1911AD and a woodcock / une bécasse 
Derivry Auguste, 52 rue de Bondy, Paris, active from 1923AD and a lion / un lion (the shaking hands is the "poinçon de bonne foi"/good faith mark) 
Frenais Armand, 77 boulevard Richard-Lenoir, Paris, active 1877-1927AF and an anchor / une ancre Succeeded to Franche & Frenais maintaining in early times the old mark next to the "anchor" mark 
Frionnet Albert, 8 rue des Quatre-Fils, Paris, active 1911-1944AF and a half moon / un croissant 
Gudin Adolphe, 1 rue Castex, Paris, active 1920-1922AG and a bag / une bourse 
Maker not identifiedAL and a symbol / un symbole 
Leclerc Aristide, 10 rue Sainte-Anastase, Paris, active from 1900AL a crescent, a star in the middle / un croissant, une étoile dans le milieu 
Alfenide a trade mark of ChristofleALFENIDE and a goat / une chèvre 
A.Loiseau & Cie, rue de la Madeleine, Besançon, late 19th/early 20th centuryA.LOISEAU & Cie 
Mailhan, 27 rue Aubry-le-Boucher, Paris, active from 1883AM and a mallet / un maillet 
Roberge André, 15 rue de Montmorency and 4 rue de l'Entrepôt, Paris, active 1918-1924AR and a wheel / une roue 
Crossard Joseph, 36 rue de Montmorency, Paris, active 1900-1920ARDJ and a cross / une crosse (succeeded by Crossard & Dogit 1920-1931) 
Soulat Auguste, 25 rue Michel-le-Comte and 103 rue du Temple, Paris, active from 1907AS and a ram's head / une tête de mouton 
Au Bon Marché, a department store, Paris, active from c.1865AU BON MARCHÉ 
Maker not identifiedBAILLIER 
Maker not identifiedBB 
Maker not identifiedB.B 
Maker not identifiedBB and a crown / une couronne |
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FRENCH SILVERPLATE MARKS DIRECTORY BY INITIALS/SYMBOLS DIRECTORY BY NAMES MAKER'S MARK INITIAL: A - B C - D E - K L - O P - Z |
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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 ... SITE MAP SILVER DICTIONARY |
