Oh, I love finding these old sets still in the original presentation box, which was made, in this case, as "bespoke", just for this one set. The gold embossed monogram on the outer box bears the initials, P P and above that is a Marquis crown. This would have, in its time, been a christening gift for some fortunate titled newborn. The set is of finest grade sterling silver (Minerve #1 guarantee for .950/1000 pure silver) over which a generous coating of 18k gold would have been bonded. This process is called "vermeil", and the old French vermeil goods are thick with gold, heavy and opulent pieces that feel a bit more like fine gems than eating utensils. In our time, this cup and fork and spoon are wonderful to take along on your own Grand Tour and pull them out to use. The cup is a French "timbale" which was used for win. Later long stems were in vogue, but in France, the timbale without stem is the wine glass of choice even now in many traditional French homes. Crown monogram on each piece, and the guilloche work and elaborate engraving makes the set all the more appealing. I should have given it a polish. Usually it takes a very long time for gold pieces to tarnish, but they do eventually. One needs to wash with lightly soapy water and then buff dry with a soft cotton cloth, and the tarnish will normally disappear, leaving that high brilliant gold finish. Who knows if this set was ever even used. Probably, from the look of it, it's been stored for 150 or more years just as you see it. We know it is Napoleon III era, and that puts it c.1850-70. If we could read the silversmith mark and identify him/her, we'd be able to pin it down a bit further. If you know it, recognize it, please email. Thank you!
Very good to excellent, no bends nor damage. A slight bit of tarnish I did not clean off (sorry), and the box is also nearly new-looking, yet we know the set is c.1850-70. The only flaw to note is that the button of the push-button clasp is missing and a very slight warp of the old lid has it wanting to spring open, though the clasp does work. Elegant and rare, the measurements will be noted on our photos. Fork and spoon are entremet or dessert size, and the cup is the typical size of a French wine cup or "timbale".
Our photos are large and clear. We do expect our customers to review them all, evaluate the item based on both our description and our images. Thanks for all the compliments - we love what we do! Antiques & Uncommon Treasure - all the best, all the time!
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