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Help please with Joan of Arc pin

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Author	Topic: Help please with Joan of Arc pin
magicmamma981 Posts: 17 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 01-01-2005 08:48 PM HI, I have a wonderful brooch depicting Joan of Arc and would like to know if anyone recognizes the silversmith? The name is on the right hand edge or the front of the piece. I can only identify the first few letters. I am including the pictures here. It is about the size of a US quarter and you can see the design on both sides of the brooch. Also, is there someone that can direct me to finding out some history on the silversmith? Thanks in advance for your help. IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-04-2005 12:58 AM I really can't make out the signature. What do you think it says? I can say that your piece is almost certainly French, from the 1st quarter of the 20th century. These "art medal' style brooches were very popular then - Boucheron & Cartier both made many - and a single image was often made in both gold & silver on various items; brooches, slides, stickpins, cufflinks, etc. The signature on the right side of the obverse (front) is that of the medallist who sculpted the model from which the mold or die would be cut. (These "art medal" pins were generally cast like a bronze or stamped like a coin.) Do my eyes decieve me or is there a horizontal lozenge-shaped French maker's mark there on the reverse, on St. Joan's pyre, neck level with the decidedly indifferent-looking capped spectator at the bottom? Can you read what it says? This would be the mark of the actual silversmith who cast the die and assembled the pin; identifying him might help. You might hunt for the Parisian "boar's head" mark on the pin or catch while you're at it to confirm its French origin. IP: Logged
magicmamma981 Posts: 17 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 01-04-2005 01:26 AM Hi and thanks for your response. I have had this pin for 35 years and it wasn't until I photographed it that I realized it was signed. The wording on the right side of the front is partially obscure. The beginning of it is L.O. Mall... and then I cannot make out the rest under any magnification. And yes there is a mark on Joan's pyre which I also only just discovered and I cannot make it out either but can look harder at it. As far as the 'boar's head' is concerned, I don't know what it looks like so don't know what to look for. Can you describe it to me or direct me to a place where I can see it to further search? Many thanks and this is becoming an interesting mystery. Susan IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 01-04-2005 09:05 AM IP: Logged
magicmamma981 Posts: 17 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 01-04-2005 09:18 PM Hi, Yes indeedy, I did find the boars head on the clasp. I had to look it up to see what it looked like, but it is there. And after nearly making myself blind tonight I was able to figure out the name of the metalist... L.O.Malla or Mallo On the other hand, and with only 1/4 of my sight remaining I have still not been able to figure out the makers mark. I am going to look for a stronger loupe to see if I can figure it out. I also took more pictures but they are really no better than the others. Many thanks. Susan IP: Logged

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