PLATED AND ELECTROPLATED SILVER MARKS OF FRANCE DOUBLÉ, PLAQUÉE, METAL, METAL BLANC, MÉTAL ARGENTÉ -C - D- |
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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 |
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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) |
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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 millimeter or 0.001mm). |
FRENCH SILVERPLATE MAKERS |
Maker not identified, C&L and a comet / une comete 
Collignon & Léger, 22 rue Oberkampf, Paris, active from 1918C&L and two stars / deux étoiles 
Balaine C., Paris, active c. 1865CB and a grasshopper / une sauterelle 
Boyron Claudius Louis, LyonCB and a press / une presse 
 Cailar & Bayard, 37 rue Grange-aux-Belles, Paris, founded in 1848 by Noel Cailar and Pierre Bayard. The firm used the name METALLONIDE for its metal alloy. Cailar & Bayard closed in 1934. CB and a sun / un soleil 
CharpentierCB and a symbol / un symbol
Christofle, mark 1862-1867CC and a scale / une échelle de poids
Halphen Charles, 4 rue d'Hauteville, Paris, mark 1877-1885CH and a goat / une chèvre 
Cailar & Henry, Paris, active c. 1860CH a sun /un soleil
Julien Charles, 59 rue des Gravilliers, Paris, active from 1914CJ and an ox's head, a star above the horns / une tête de boeuf, une étoile au-dessus des cornes 
Lenfant César, 20 rue des Deux-Portes-Saint-Sauveur, Paris, active from 1876CL and a child's head / une tête d'enfant 
Orfèvrerie de Chambly, rename of S.F.A.M in 1983. Closed in 2004CM and a handshake / une poignée de main 
Orfèvrerie Claude Perrin, 132 rue de Turenne, Paris, active from 1923C.O.P. and two stars / deux étoiles 
Pillet C., LyonCP and a press / une presse 
Sicre Charles, 25 rue de la Villette, Paris, active 1899-1937CS and a five leaf clover / une trèfle a cinq feuilles 
Maker not identified, CV and an ant / une fourmi 
Maker not identified, CY and a symbol / un symbole 
Maker not identifiedDAM and a tree / un arbre 
Capmartin Dominique, 117 rue de Turenne, Paris, active from 1910DC and a bear / un ours 
Debain Alphonse & Edouard, 20 rue Rambuteau and later rue des Quatre-Fils, Paris, active 1911-1929DEBAIN and a phoenix and a star / un phénix et une étoile 
Deschamps Frères, 46 rue du Rocher, Paris, active from 1923DF or DFES and a rooster's head/une tête de coq 
Maker not identifiedDH and METAL BLANC 
Société des Couverts DIXI, Varreddes, acxtive 1900-1984DIXI COUVERTS and symbol (probably a dice) 
 Durousseau & Raynaud, LyonDR and a press / une presse |
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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 |
