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Hi All - any help identifying this little patch box would be appreciated. It measures about 5cm in diameter and weighs about 30 grams. It certainly looks French and the maker's mark is French in style but not 100% sure of that. It is marked on the base with a maker's mark NR and a capital P and again on the base in the inside rim with a head figure which doesn't quite tie in with any of my limited French mark books and the maker's mark again. Sorry these were very difficult to photograph. Hoping someone will be able to identify the maker and approximate date of manufacture - Thanks Frank

Not French but Dutch, with the date letter "P" for 1824. The mark is actually "NB" with a heart above & crescent below, and was used by the widow of Amsterdam silversmith Willem Netelenbosch (1766-1820; Master 1781), whose shop she continued until 1826.

New Dutch maker's marks from 1814 were required to be of square outline, but makers were permitted to continue using their old lozenge-shaped marks which had been mandated under the French occupation. Presumably the widow Netelenbosch was allowed to use this variant of her husband's old mark - distinguished only by the addition of the crescent - by virtue of this exception.

Hope this helps!

Hi Blakstone - many thanks - that's great news - must admit with the lozenge shaped makers mark and the lack of a lion passant I didn't think of Dutch, but now looking at it the head - or what's left of it - makes sense. It's very rubbed but assume somewhere in the mark would be an indication of whether it's first or second standard. - regards frank

Hi,

Most probably if you examine the whole box closely you will find a Dutch lion to indicate the silver standard. The marks are spread and could be well hidden.

Regards,

Oel