posted 03-09-2005 02:27 PM            

Can anyone please enlighten me as to the makers T Fres (the T brothers, perhaps)?

I have several pieces of flatware which was presumably well traveled. Some have the Minerva mark, others the export Mercury, mostly with the small Hare re-import mark.

However, I recently noticed this small mark on one piece only next to the Mercury - can anyone please explain its significance?

Many thanks.

posted 03-09-2005 03:10 PM            

The comapny made excellent Art Deco flatware and hollowware, and by the 1930s it ranked alongside Puiforcat, thanks mostly to the talents of Jean Tétard, the grandchild of firm founder Edmond Tétard.

As for the Mercury mark, I notice that it is one of the new marks introduced in 1973 (when the .950 standard was lowered to .925 - so sad); the "A" indicates manufacture in the years 1973-1983. As for the other mark, it appears to be the Minerva head in outline.

Apparently, this is the new minimum fineness mark for small silver, introduced in France in July 1984, replacing the old "crab mark", per Decree No. 84-624, Article 1:

quote:

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Le poinçon de garantie à l'image du "crabe", institué par l'article 2 de l'ordonnance du 30 juin 1835, est remplacé, à compter du 1er juillet 1984 , par un poinçon représentant une "tête de minerve" découpée, dont le dessin figuratif est semblable à celui des poinçons de titre utilisés pour les ouvrages en argent.

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Translation:

quote:

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The guarantee mark in the image of a "crab", instituted by article 2 of the ordinance of June 30, 1835, is replaced, as from July 1, 1984, by a mark representing the "head of Minerva" in outline, whose representation is similar to that of the title marks used for silver items.

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I suspect the date problem (A = 1973-1983; new small Minerva introduced 1984) is answerable somewhere in this French legislation. I'll try to plod my way through it and see if I can figure it out.