Hello,
I'm just about to re-edit my book on French hallmarks in English, and I realised members of this forum might be able to help me find the last assay office marks that were used on French hallmarks in the European towns that France occupied during the Napoleonic wars.
There were 58 such towns, and although I have some of these marks, including all of them for Belgium, I don't have them for the Netherlands.
If anyone can give me confirmed marks for the following towns, I'd appreciate it:
Den Haag
Rotterdam
Middelburg
Zwolle
's-Hertogenbosch
Groningen
Leeuwarden
Maastricht
Roermonde
Breda
Arnhem
Amsterdam
Utrecht
I've posted a similar message on the board for German hallmarks.
Thanks
Assay office marks on French occupied towns 1798-1815
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bijoux.expert
- contributor
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- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:37 am
- Location: Paris, France
Re: Assay office marks on French occupied towns 1798-1815
Until when the French hallmarks are used in the Dutch occupied city assay offices depend on liberation date and getting the new approved hallmarks. It was a matter of making do with what you have.
October 1813, Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig. The Netherlands November 1813 liberation, the French are on the run.
Chaos at the town's assay offices. French assay officers fled, taking valuables with them. The Amsterdam assay office is attacked by gold-and silversmiths desiring to re-institute the ancient guild and to regain its possessions. They are however too late, because the French assayer, Auguste Vinot Barmont, has already fled without paying his debts, taking with him the costliest possessions of the former guild; a number of valuable touchstones, the assay balance and the cut-off tips of all the touch needles. A notification was sent to the assay offices on December 7th 1813, advising the remaining Netherlands assay office officials to report on the condition of their offices and keep up their surveillance against evasion of marking duty. Order on December 18th and 20th 1813 the French marks may not be used any more, and that intermediate 'lombard-marks' are on the way, so as not to impede the pawnshop auctions.
December 23rd 1813, change of standards of fineness and marks, French rooster replaced by the Dutch lion.The French Empire hallmarks remain valid and those of the previous Kingdom of Holland are declared to be valid again.
A Historic Survey
This survey has been composed after years of research on the original documents deposited in the Archives Nationales de Paris, the Algemeen Rijksarchief in the Hague, the archives of the Assay Service Inspectorate in the Ministry of Finance and the archives of the Tax Museum in Rotterdam and the Gold, Silver and Clocks Museum in Schoonhoven.
The picture shown herein of the initial period is quite contrary to the general belief that the Netherlands assay service was founded after a short French occupation period which should better be ignored. In reality the hallmarking law was introduced here by the French Empire and continued by King Willem I, only the hallmarks and standards of fineness were changed. The existing former French assay offices were more or less taken over. Under French rule, Maastricht and Roermond assay office opened in 1799, the 's Hertogenbosch (Bois-le-Duc), Middelburg and Breda offices opened in 1811
1814
's Hertogenbosch ( Bois-le-Duc) liberated on 27th January 1814. Middelburg which remained occupied by the French until mid June 1814. The position of the future provinces Liege, Luxembourg and Limburg (Maastricht & Roermond) is still unclear. Only by the end of 1815 are these territories joined to the Southern Netherlands. Intermediate marks are being used in Maastricht, the 'Argent de Bavière' mark in Liege.
One has tried to give the dates on which the large hallmarks were received by the assay offices in 1814. In reality the offices which had been founded by the French government, had never closed during and after the libiration, the remaining officials were just waiting for the new hallmarks. These were sent when ready, in any case to the offices which had been liberated. The small offices turn came last. Middelburg which remained occupied by the French army well into May 1814 came last.
Kingdom of the Netherlands assay offices begin 1814
The Hague assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 14th 1814
Rotterdam assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 3rd 1814
Middelburg assay office opened ??-05-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-06-1814
Zwolle assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation) re-opened ??-04-1814
s-Hertogenbosch assay office opened ??-05-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Groningen assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 12-04-1814
Leeuwarden assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 05-03-1814
Maastricht assay office opened ??-??-1799 (under French occupation), re-opened 01-03-1842
Roermond assay office opened ??-??-1799 (under French occupation), re-opened 01-03-1842
Breda assay office opened ??-11-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Arnhem assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Amsterdam assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 5th 1814
Utrecht assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 26-01-1814
Peter.
Source; Netherlands' Responsibility marks from 1797 A Historic Survey.
October 1813, Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig. The Netherlands November 1813 liberation, the French are on the run.
Chaos at the town's assay offices. French assay officers fled, taking valuables with them. The Amsterdam assay office is attacked by gold-and silversmiths desiring to re-institute the ancient guild and to regain its possessions. They are however too late, because the French assayer, Auguste Vinot Barmont, has already fled without paying his debts, taking with him the costliest possessions of the former guild; a number of valuable touchstones, the assay balance and the cut-off tips of all the touch needles. A notification was sent to the assay offices on December 7th 1813, advising the remaining Netherlands assay office officials to report on the condition of their offices and keep up their surveillance against evasion of marking duty. Order on December 18th and 20th 1813 the French marks may not be used any more, and that intermediate 'lombard-marks' are on the way, so as not to impede the pawnshop auctions.
December 23rd 1813, change of standards of fineness and marks, French rooster replaced by the Dutch lion.The French Empire hallmarks remain valid and those of the previous Kingdom of Holland are declared to be valid again.
A Historic Survey
This survey has been composed after years of research on the original documents deposited in the Archives Nationales de Paris, the Algemeen Rijksarchief in the Hague, the archives of the Assay Service Inspectorate in the Ministry of Finance and the archives of the Tax Museum in Rotterdam and the Gold, Silver and Clocks Museum in Schoonhoven.
The picture shown herein of the initial period is quite contrary to the general belief that the Netherlands assay service was founded after a short French occupation period which should better be ignored. In reality the hallmarking law was introduced here by the French Empire and continued by King Willem I, only the hallmarks and standards of fineness were changed. The existing former French assay offices were more or less taken over. Under French rule, Maastricht and Roermond assay office opened in 1799, the 's Hertogenbosch (Bois-le-Duc), Middelburg and Breda offices opened in 1811
1814
's Hertogenbosch ( Bois-le-Duc) liberated on 27th January 1814. Middelburg which remained occupied by the French until mid June 1814. The position of the future provinces Liege, Luxembourg and Limburg (Maastricht & Roermond) is still unclear. Only by the end of 1815 are these territories joined to the Southern Netherlands. Intermediate marks are being used in Maastricht, the 'Argent de Bavière' mark in Liege.
One has tried to give the dates on which the large hallmarks were received by the assay offices in 1814. In reality the offices which had been founded by the French government, had never closed during and after the libiration, the remaining officials were just waiting for the new hallmarks. These were sent when ready, in any case to the offices which had been liberated. The small offices turn came last. Middelburg which remained occupied by the French army well into May 1814 came last.
Kingdom of the Netherlands assay offices begin 1814
The Hague assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 14th 1814
Rotterdam assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 3rd 1814
Middelburg assay office opened ??-05-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-06-1814
Zwolle assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation) re-opened ??-04-1814
s-Hertogenbosch assay office opened ??-05-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Groningen assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 12-04-1814
Leeuwarden assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 05-03-1814
Maastricht assay office opened ??-??-1799 (under French occupation), re-opened 01-03-1842
Roermond assay office opened ??-??-1799 (under French occupation), re-opened 01-03-1842
Breda assay office opened ??-11-1811 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Arnhem assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened ??-04-1814
Amsterdam assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened January 5th 1814
Utrecht assay office opened 01-03-1812 (under French occupation), re-opened 26-01-1814
Peter.
Source; Netherlands' Responsibility marks from 1797 A Historic Survey.
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bijoux.expert
- contributor
- Posts: 133
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:37 am
- Location: Paris, France
Re: Assay office marks on French occupied towns 1798-1815
Hello Peter,
Thanks for that, it's very interesting. The opening dates of the NL offices differ however quite a bit from what I found at the French Archives, which in turn sometimes differ from those given by Walter van Dievoet. It's so hard to determine whom one should believe !
What I really need though is confirmation of the assay office marks for the Nederlandse offices. I have all of them apart from s Hertogenbosch but I'd like a second person to confirm that those I have are correct. Do you have a list of these marks ?
Mike
Thanks for that, it's very interesting. The opening dates of the NL offices differ however quite a bit from what I found at the French Archives, which in turn sometimes differ from those given by Walter van Dievoet. It's so hard to determine whom one should believe !
What I really need though is confirmation of the assay office marks for the Nederlandse offices. I have all of them apart from s Hertogenbosch but I'd like a second person to confirm that those I have are correct. Do you have a list of these marks ?
Mike
Re: Assay office marks on French occupied towns 1798-1815
Hi Mike, if you mean the regional assay office letters used by our assay offices today and in the past, yes I have.
Peter.
Peter.
Re: Assay office marks on French occupied towns 1798-1815
Just for clarification some dates and information.
Year 1795, The Low Countries (Republic of the Seven United Netherlands) are conquered and occupied by the French armies. Proclamation of the Batavian Republic, a French satellite state.
The former town gold & silver guilds may temporarily remain in existence as a so-called 'suppressed or destroyed guild', until 1807.
The present Limburg province is annexed by the French Republic. The Scheldt South Bank and the Barrier Cities including Maastricht are ceded to France.The mentioned area was annexed by the French Republic and French hallmarks were introduced step by step.
Maastricht and Roermond assay offices were opened in 1799. In 1798 together with 31 others, the Maastricht and Roermond (French) offices are declared to be open on October 22nd 1798. However the opposition of the goldsmiths caused a delay until mid-1799.
The Bois-le Duc (s'Hertogenbosch), Middelburg and Breda French assay offices opened in 1811.
When several assay offices were established in a single department, a dot was added for the second office and two dots for the third.
The hallmarks of the French Republic 1798-1809 were in use.
Year 1799- September 1809 Maastricht, Dept. Meuse-Inférieure, No: 62 The present Belgian Limburg province and the southern part of Netherlands Limburg province
Year 1799- September 1809 Roermond, Dept. Meuse-Inférieure, No: 62. The middle part of the present Netherlands Limburg province, except the Sittard area
Year 1799- September 1809 Aix-la-Chapelle(Aachen), Dep. Roer, letters. LR Including the Netherlands Limburg province northern tip and the Sittard area.
Followed by The Hallmarks of the French Empire 1809-1819.
September 1809- early 1814 Maastricht, Dept. Meuse-Inférieure, No: 65 The present Belgian Limburg province and the southern part of Netherlands Limburg province
September 1809- early 1814 Roermond, Dept. Meuse-Inférieure, No: 65. The middle part of the present Netherlands Limburg province, except the Sittard area.
September 1809- early 1814 Aix-la-Chapelle(Aachen), Dep. Roer, No: 86 Including the Netherlands Limburg province northern tip and the Sittard area.
NB. The Belgian assay offices were abandoned after the defeat of Napoleon at the beginning of 1814. The French supervisors left and Belgian staff no longer paid, assay was suspended.
Year 1806, Emperor Napoleon forces the Batavian Republic to accept his brother Louis as King of Holland. As a consolation prize, German East Frisia joined the new kingdom.
Year 1807, The Publication of the King of Holland contained a law on the working, importing and sale of gold and silver articles, including the levy of duty on the same. It is a highly simplified version of the French hallmarking law, which takes the sensitivities of the Dutch silversmiths into account. For instance the city marks and date letters may remain in a changed form.
Hallmarks used during Kingdom of Holland 1807-1810 till 1st March 1812
See;viewtopic.php?p=80300#p80300
Year 1810, Napoleon incensed about the independent actions of his brother Louis and fear of a British invasion of Zeeland decides to annex the Kingdom part by part. His brother Louis abdicates July 1st 1810
The Hallmarks of the French empire 1809-1819. In the present Netherlands south of the Waal river, these marks were in use and valid from the middle of 1811, north of the Waal from 1st March 1812 until the 'happy reversion of affairs' of late 1813 to early 1814.
Year 1813, Napoleons defeat at Leipzig October 1813.
NB. The former French assay offices, after the French retreat, never closed. After the order of the Dutch Mint on 20th December 23rd 1813 and signed by the Dutch Sovereign Prince Willem I, on December 26th 1813; the French marks may not be used anymore. The assay offices stayed open and were waiting for the proper new Dutch hallmarks and new staff. NB. The French hallmarks and the hallmarks Kingdom of Holland remained valid for time being. The French rooster replaced for the Dutch lion.
French Assay offices opening dates, names, departments, number/letter and area
??-11-1811 - ??-04-1814 Breda, Dep. Deux-Nèthes, No: 70. The present Noord- Brabant province west of the Donge river
??-05-1811 - ??-06-1814 Middelburg, Dep.Bouches-de- L'Escaut, letter K The present Zeeland province minus the Scheldt south bank
??-05-1811 - ??-04-1814 Bois-le Duc, Dep. Bouches-du-Rhin, letter L The present Noord Brabant province, plus all Guelders province territory south of the Waal river.
01-03-1812 - 26-01-1814 Amsterdam, Dep. Zuiderzee, letter M Approximately the present Noord- Holland province
01-03-1812 - 26-01-1814 Utrecht, Dep. Zuiderzee, letter M. Approximately the present Utrecht province, plus Woerden and Schoonhoven cities
01-03-1812 - 26-01-1814 Rotterdam, Dep. Bouches-de-la-Meuse, letter N The southern half of the present Zuid-Holland province, including Delft and Gouda
01-03-1812 - 14-01-1814 La Haye, Dep. Bouches-de-la-Meuse, letter N. The northern half of province Zuid-Holland, including Leiden
01-03-1812 - ??-04-1814 Arnhem, Dep. Issel- Supérieur, letter O Approximately today's province of Gelderland minus area south of the river Waal
01-03-1812 - ??-04-1814 Zwolle, Dep. Bouches-de- L'Issel, letter P The present Overijssel province
01-03-1812 -12-04-1814 Groningen, Dep. Ems-Occidental, letter. Q The present Groningen and Drenthe provinces, plus a small piece of Germany with Bunde, Jemgum, Weener
01-03-1812 - 05-03-1814 Leeuwarden, Dep. Frise, letter S The present Frisia province
Dutch maker's mark must be complying with the French lozenge shape.
Some examples French Empire 1809-1819 ET étranger mark
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=31413&sid=3717d74cf ... 570359ec7f
Hallmarks French Empire. Office mark regional assay office letter S for Leeuwarden, French rooster departmental 2nd standard mark silver 800/000
Peter.
Source; Netherlands' Responsibility marks from 1797, a review of the Netherlands maker's, importers' marks, assay office identification marks, assayers' marks for gold, silver and platinum since the introduction of the Law of the 19th Brumaire year 6 (9-11-1797), A historic survey, 2009, Holland Assay Office. Uitgave: WaarborgHolland Gouda 2009