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Mysterious silverware --- ID help?

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Author	Topic: Mysterious silverware --- ID help?
drnelly Posts: 14 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-24-2004 05:53 PM [01-2040] Hi, I have just come into possession of some silverware (I believe it's Sterling) that my family used as everyday flatware when I was growing up. I have searched and searched and consulted Replacements.com, and no one can ID this stuff. The dinner fork and the soup spoon have the number 84 stamped on one side of the main section (below the tines on the fork and lower portion of the spoon's bowl), and an unidentifiable animal (looks like it could be a lion)lying down with its head up, sphinx-style. Could be a sphinx, I suppose.... The dinner knives have the number 18 stamped on the handle and the blades have Appolonox written on them. My parents were both born and raised in Europe, my father in northern Italy and my mother is of German origin. They both come from families that traveled extensively, so these could be from anywhere in the world. Oh, and my dad was born in 1910, my mother in 1923. So no telling how old these are, either. Any ideas regarding the origin of these would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! Nelly IP: Logged
drnelly Posts: 14 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-24-2004 06:03 PM A few details I omitted in my request: there are no other letters in the 84 square, the "sphinx" square is on the right side of the pieces on which it appears (dinner fork, Knife, soup spoon and teaspoon), and with my strongest jeweler's loupe I can barely identify that the letters VH appear on the top right side of the square with the animal in it. I read some of the other strings, andshould mention that my mother spent a great deal of time in France growing up, so this might be French? Thanks again, Nelly IP: Logged
Arg(um)entum Posts: 304 Registered: Apr 2002	posted 12-27-2004 09:47 PM The marking on the spoons and forks does seem consistent with French silverplate as I recall it. As to the knives, are they the identical pattern? The blades (xxx..nox) are stainless steel but that says nothing about the handles. The '18' may indicate that they are steel as well though there is a possibility of them being silverplate but not French. Is the '18' enclosed in a particular shape ? IP: Logged
drnelly Posts: 14 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-28-2004 11:04 AM Hi! Thanks for your response. Yes, the knives are the exact same pattern. The 18 is in a square, looks like a stamp. No other markings. Thanks again for any unput! Nelly IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 12-28-2004 11:19 AM Sometimes the size of the items points towards their origin. Could you tell us the length of these pieces? IP: Logged
drnelly Posts: 14 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-28-2004 04:38 PM Sure! teaspoon measures 5&7/16 inches, dinner fork is 8&1/8 inches, knife is 10 inches pretty exactly. Hope that helps! Nelly IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 12-29-2004 12:26 PM These sound very much like a Continental size, which rules out the English speaking world. Size is a clue which helps narrow down where something came from. Are the designs and monograms on the front or the back? These do appear to be French, from a minor maker who is not recorded. IP: Logged
drnelly Posts: 14 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-29-2004 06:16 PM Hi again, I am going to try to insert some photos from photobucket. Wish me luck. In case they don't load, the pattern is on both the front and the back. Thanks again for your responsiveness! Nelly IP: Logged
2209patrick Posts: 37 Registered: Mar 2006	posted 10-10-2011 07:06 PM Société Générale de Coutellerie et Orfèvrerie, Paris, France. IP: Logged

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