posted 01-07-2009 01:27 PM            

This is for silver stories

We like silver but the silver that we like most is silver found among plated. I love to go to second hand stores and find silver not registered as silver or priced like silver. And I am good at that. The knowledge is so low - nobody knows anything about silver, so I take advantage. Do you find that wrong?

This french bobbonierre was sold as pewter. We don't talk money here, But it is damaged. (the piece was inside) - damaged pewter price approx. 0

The eagle is 4,5 cm
Diameter 14cm the bowl is 10 cm high and the entire bonboniere up to the eagles wings is 17 to 18 cm. Weight 400 grams where the 200 grams is for the eagle and top and 200 grams for the button

Minerva's mark at eagle, at top and at bowl. Mark for 950/1000 silver so this is BETTER than sterling. Mark used on large items from 1838 and still.

And mark at the eagle every piece has Minerva mark.

It took me several days to find the mark of the silversmith. I could not find it. I knew it was there but where? From my photos I can see that it was 5 days after purchase that finally.

Master FRAY

Martial Fray, silversmith in Paris between 1849 and probably 1861.

We need some polish. That however was done on the day of purchase carefully carefully carefully it is so delicate and thin.

There you are from the box with plated to glory.
Know how - that important.

Could you have found it? I.e. can you find the FREY mark on the last picture?

posted 01-07-2009 06:42 PM            

I would of course have more conscience about buying from a private individual who had no idea about the value of a piece of family silver, but none of my acquaintances have ever offered me any family pieces!

posted 01-08-2009 11:01 PM            

Really nice piece ! Is that a cranberry (red) liner I see. Original? Great color.

When it comes to buying in a shop, if you have made a particularly good buy, never, never, never, tell the owners. Bragging is bad form, and you can kill the goose that laid the silver condomint dish (golden egg).

Best folks to tell, is us here at the forum. It is good to know that there are still good buys out there.

Marc

posted 01-09-2009 04:39 AM            

It's also a personal taste for cleaning the whole item or keep the dark lines dirty for to give a strong 3-d look at the decoration.

I haven't seen such one before so it is good to see and what concerning the red glass is also beautiful. Did they also produced the glass in Bohemen area?

I have also some stories about the same subject by collecting silver at strange (lucky) ways! If you will look at the search function once and typing the worths:
dutch jardiniere or normal fishing day,you will recognize the same feeling.

I have joined the story and wish you a lot of enjoyment of the beautiful french bonbonniere.

I think my first impression is 100% it's like a museum I enjoy each part and I'm glad you didn't ask me to explain all the marks, and style and period and decoration motifs etc.etc.etc.

posted 01-09-2009 10:17 AM            

I am very sorry the glass is not original. I should be blue from Baccarat - but glass break. When I found it had an orange bowl from Hadeland (Norwegian glass) inside. Very nice glass. Even the bowl is a nice piece in it self.

The colour of the glass - it is the picture.