posted 04-24-1999 05:46 PM            

Special Features

French pattern which is a variation of kings and was made a number of manufacturers in France and England. These are made by A. Aucock who is reputed to have made silver for Cartier. The makers mark in the diamond is a rooster, a play on "Aucock".

Dating

The second mark on the piece is a head of Mercury facing left which according to Wyler "The Book of Old Silver" (6) is a French Export mark for 1879.

Pieces Shown
Item length cost
Knife 10" $75.00
Dinner Fork 8 �" $55.00
Luncheon Fork 7 �" $40.00
Dessert Spoon 7 �" $40.00

Photo:

Key Pieces

Knife with original carbon steel blade

Questions:

What other pieces are available? Salad fork?

Comments
Once you are bitten by the Place Setting Collector Bug , you will find the urge to collect everything from everywhere. In attempting to across the English channel we find ourselves running into a stone wall. The British are great keepers of tradition and every aspect of their flatware is documented. While in several references there is space devoted to the silver of many European countries it is always the holloware that is featured and knives and forks are pretty much just knives and forks and no one seems to collect it or sell it. While it is documented in Pickford (1) that variations of the Kings pattern originated in France, and the Christofle website in recounting it's history reminds that there are lovely patterns now being produced that originated in 1842, I have not found a single book devoted to French flatware nor a dealer who carries older pieces on purpose.

While I have been offered some single pieces I have been reluctant because of the poor likelihood of running across any mates for a place setting. My sole example was found visiting a dealer friends house and going through the back room we found a box of French flatware including knives and forks but few spoons, thus he did not mind breaking up the set. I was able to find a knife, dinner fork, dessert fork and spoon but no teaspoon. The dinner fork is a full 8 �" long as is typical of many European styles. So I will be searching for one more piece. This small but brilliant success increases my resolve to locate more French silver.

Is it that the silver flatware was melted down in the many European wars, that makes the older material so scarce here or is it just that no one yet thinks to collect it. Someone needs to address this interesting issue.