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Christofle spoon and fork

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Author	Topic: Christofle spoon and fork
silverhunter Posts: 704 Registered: Jul 2007	posted 09-30-2007 01:07 PM [26-1509] Hello to you all, Still I'm missing a knife from Christofle I'm just started with collecting some little things from this French (in Paris) made silver/ed ? dinner spoon and fork. I just found information about the fork the pattern is mentioned decor : Rubans. I found also a set (pictured) were this fork belong to. What I can't find is the period this fork is made? I hope someone can tell me about this. In the fork is stamped (in a square)a libra sign, four stars and the figure 84. Is it possible to also get any information about the figure 84 and what the four stars are meaning? Is this one made from silver or (70 gram in weight) or silvered with a special silver alloy? The spoon is 80 gram (in weight) and also stamped with a libra sign, four stars and the figure 34. I hope that someone can tell the difference between these figures 34 and 84. I saw at a picture that the pattern of the spoon is used from the end of the 18 th century by other silver smiths and I think different countries. With a lot of patience it succeed to make clear(?) photo's of the marks. (4 photo's are send with this topic). I hope to get any reaction about these only spoon and fork. I have a long way to go to collect a totaly set of Christofle.(many years, that's for sure!) But I'm proud to eat with Christmas with these one's in my hand, perhaps one knife will follow! I think with Christmas the set is completed (I always stay optimistic of course!). Greetings Silverhunter! IP: Logged
Kayvee Posts: 204 Registered: Oct 2004	posted 09-30-2007 06:30 PM If you use the search function, you'll find a lot of interesting information about Christofle on the forums. The company is still in business and the "rubans" pattern is still in production, so a look at the company website "Rubans" is a pattern in the Louis XVI style. It is widely available on the second-hand market too; I'm sure you won't have difficulty collecting more pieces. Your pieces could have been made anytime in the last 100 years, but not before the mid-nineteenth century. The trademark or manufacturer's mark is one used by Christofle on their silverplated flatware. The mark is 4 stars over the founder's initials (Charles Christofle), a scale, and a bee between 2 palm fronds. The 84 (not 34) is an indication of the number of grams of silver used in the electroplating process for 1 dozen pieces of flatware. It is a somewhat meaningless figure designed to reassure the public about the quality of the item they are purchasing. In general however the company has a reputation for high quality workmanship and design. Hope this helps. IP: Logged
silverhunter Posts: 704 Registered: Jul 2007	posted 09-30-2007 07:32 PM Thanks a lot Kayvee, In the beginning of the night I was looking at the searching possibility side(like you mentioned), there were 59 topics that gave information about Christofle etc. Sometimes including and sometimes without photo's. At number topic 19 I stopped with reading all that information. Tomorrow I will fly quick through all the other information. But your information is clear to me and I understood a lot of it. Also nice to know the style you mentioned! Only I looked more than twice and at the fork stands 84, but at the spoon 34. But both are nice and I'm only looking for a knive from Christofle. (Like I said before.......) If I remembered it well, there were some reactions about different marks considering the different fabrics of Christofle, were they made all that silverware. I'm also know now about the silver alloy of Christofle and how many silver is used by a dozen. So I'm helped with it and thank you again. It's now monday early in the morning, so I stop the reaction from this side. Kayvee a lot of succes with the hobby, greetings silverhunter from the netherlands. IP: Logged

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