Small spoon - SMP Silver Salon Forums

SM Publications

Silver Salon Forums - The premier site for discussing Silver.

SMP | Silver Salon Forums | SSF - Guidelines | SSF - FAQ | Silver Sales

The Silver Salon Forums
Since 1993
Over 11,793 threads & 64,769 posts !!
Continental / International Silver Forum

Silver Salon internal search
or

How to Post Photos

REGISTER (click here)

SMP Silver Salon Forums
tline

Continental / International Silver
tline3

Small spoon

profile | register | preferences | faq | search

SSFFriend: Email This Page to Someone!

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Author	Topic: Small spoon
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 12-02-2007 09:25 PM Below is a small spoon (4 7/8”) that has I believe the Italian mark for 800 silver. I do not know the meaning of the other two marks. It has a monogram F.G on the same side. What intrigued me about the spoon is the crowned serpent engraving in which it appears that a serpent is spewing out a child. Of course it could be that the serpent is getting ready to ingest the child. Any information about the marks or the meaning of the snake engraving would be appreciated. IP: Logged
DB Posts: 252 Registered: May 2006	posted 12-02-2007 09:34 PM The mark with the stars is for Venice under Austro-Hungarian rule according to the law of 1810, early 19th century, the other one is a control mark, and a master mark. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 12-04-2007 11:32 AM Thanks, DB The following is from an internet search. The Visconti family since 1277 used a crest with a crowned serpent and child. Masi crestis the same, but this site has various interpretations of the meaning. It could be that this spoon started its life as a souvenir spoon. IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 02-05-2008 02:27 AM Golly. How did I miss this one? Strictly speaking, the leftmost mark was introduced not by the Austrians but by Eugène de Beauharnais, Napoléon’s stepson and viceregent for the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. This and several other marks were introduced by his Christmas Day decree of 1810 in response to complaints that gold and silver marking had fallen by the wayside in the wake of the French invasion. However, these marks did continue to be used after the fall of Napoleon by the Austrian-controlled Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, right through to the 1872 introduction of marks in the new unified Kingdom of Italy. The “globe and stars” mark was used on large silver articles of the second standard of fineness: .800. The middle mark is the assay office mark; here, a plough, that of the office in Milan. The figure in the third mark with the letter “P” is assuredly St. Michael with his sword and scales, treading upon a serpent, and therefore almost certainly the maker’s mark of Domenico Pariani of Milan, working in the late 1820’s and perhaps later. (See Donaver & Dabbene’s Argenti italiani dell’800, v. II (Milan: San Gottardo, 1989), where Pariani’s mark - #2057 - is not illlustrated but is described as being St. Michael in a circle.) Beautiful piece; thanks for posting it! IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 02-05-2008 04:34 PM Thanks Blakstone, I hope all the Mardi Gras celebrations are better than ever this year. Wish I was in New Orleans. [This message has been edited by ahwt (edited 02-05-2008).] IP: Logged

All times are ET	next newest topic \| next oldest topic
Administrative Options: Close Topic \| Archive/Move \| Delete Topic
	Hop to:

Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46a

^1. Public Silver Forums (open Free membership) - anyone with a valid e-mail address may register. Once you have received your Silver Salon Forum password, and then if you abide by the Silver Salon Forum Guidelines, you may start a thread or post a reply in the New Members' Forum. New Members who show a continued willingness to participate, to completely read and abide by the Guidelines will be allowed to post to the Member Public Forums.
Click here to Register for a Free password

^2. Private Silver Salon Forums (invitational or $ donation membership) - The Private Silver Salon Forums require registration and special authorization to view, search, start a thread or to post a reply. Special authorization can be obtained in one of several ways: by Invitation; Annual $ Donation; or via Special Limited Membership. For more details click here (under development).

^3. Administrative/Special Private Forums (special membership required) - These forums are reserved for special subjects or administrative discussion. These forums are not open to the public and require special authorization to view or post.

| Home | Order | The Guide to Evaluating Gold & Silver Objects | The Book of Silver