www.925-1000.com

Hello,
Could you please help me identify this hallmark?



It was found together with French silver from the 18th century.
Thank you in advance for your valuable help.

Best regards,

Baruch

Hello,

It does not look like French marks.
Based on the design of the spoon, and the silversmith hallmark form, I would suggest a Belgian or Dutch origin.
Some contributors with better knowledge of Belgian/Dutch silver could confirm/contest my suggestion.

anikopol wrote: Sun Jul 06, 2025 4:01 pm Hello,

It does not look like French marks.
Based on the design of the spoon, and the silversmith hallmark form, I would suggest a Belgian or Dutch origin.
Some contributors with better knowledge of Belgian/Dutch silver could confirm/contest my suggestion.

Thank You very much for your advice👍

When I saw the photo of the spoon I immediately thought of a Piedmontese cutlery, but the hallmarking does not match.
There is however a Savoyard silversmith whose mark is described as
IIF crowned

A simple coincidence or could it be a variant of his mark?

amena wrote: Mon Jul 07, 2025 3:14 am When I saw the photo of the spoon I immediately thought of a Piedmontese cutlery, but the hallmarking does not match.
There is however a Savoyard silversmith whose mark is described as
IIF crowned

A simple coincidence or could it be a variant of his mark?

Saunds good, thank You. I'll try to check that..

::::: What are the working dates for this silversmith? :::::::: Does the book list the working dates for this silversmith? ::::: Thanks. :::

The book doesn't specify the exact dates of Jean Jacques's work.

However, we are in the first quarter or at most the first half of the 18th century.

See also
https://pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/palissy/PM73000051
https://pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/palissy/PM73001248
The descriptions of his mark are somewhat different; it seems he or, as sometimes happened, his heirs used different punches.
I don't know if, contacting the French Ministry of Culture, would allow us to obtain photos of those marks.

:::::::: I was just wondering when this style of spoon first emerged, I was thinking definitely in the mid-18th century, but not so much in the first quarter of the 18th century. :::::::::::::: So I was just wondering if knowing more about the history of the form could help to date the spoon. :::::::

I agree with you, the cutlery pattern is likely from the second half of the 18th century, while Jean Jacques Franchet's works are classified in the first or second quarter.
That's why I hypothesized that his heirs or widow used his punch.
Assuming it's his mark and not just a coincidence.

The maker's mark on the spoon shows a crowned 11F, apparently struck by using two separate punches.
Is there any indication that the maker that has been suggested would have used two punches to strike his maker's mark? This would be very unusual, I haven't seen any similar cases, and the photo of his mark clearly shows a single punch used.

I.I.F in rectangle perhaps for Jan Jacob Fels of German descent, working unofficially in Zwolle and later registered as a silversmith in Kampen.



Jan Jacob Fels was baptized in Anholt, Germany, on June 14, 1757, the son of silversmith Frederik Fels and Maria Elisabeth Kaufman. He married Jacoba Wehling, also of German descent, on May 21, 1781, in Zwolle. He requested membership in the Zwolle silver guild several times, but was refused. In 1780, he requested permission to work as a silversmith in Zwolle without first having to work for two years with a Zwolle silversmith. He wanted to purchase Zwolle citizenship without the requirement of working for two years under a Zwolle master. His request was rejected. In 1782, he made a second attempt, promising that he would not supply gold or silver to private individuals in Zwolle, but would only work for the masters in Zwolle and send the remaining fruits of his labor elsewhere. This request was also rejected by the Zwolle administrators. Fels then turned to Kampen and acquired Kampen citizenship on 5 May 1783. Jan Jacob Fels died on 29 April 1829. His two daughters also worked as silversmiths or as sellers of gold and silver objects.
I can't say for sure what the crown meant. Perhaps Jan Jacob Fels bought the cutlery with the crown mark and sold it with his maker's mark.

Source: Glans langs de Ijssel zilver uit Zutphen, Deventer, Zwolle en Kampen. B. Dubbe, Zwols zilver Het Zwolse goud-en zilversmidsambacht en zijn meesters.


Peter.

oel wrote: Thu Jul 10, 2025 10:25 am

I.I.F in rectangle perhaps for Jan Jacob Fels of German descent, working unofficially in Zwolle and later registered as a silversmith in Kampen.



Jan Jacob Fels was baptized in Anholt, Germany, on June 14, 1757, the son of silversmith Frederik Fels and Maria Elisabeth Kaufman. He married Jacoba Wehling, also of German descent, on May 21, 1781, in Zwolle. He requested membership in the Zwolle silver guild several times, but was refused. In 1780, he requested permission to work as a silversmith in Zwolle without first having to work for two years with a Zwolle silversmith. He wanted to purchase Zwolle citizenship without the requirement of working for two years under a Zwolle master. His request was rejected. In 1782, he made a second attempt, promising that he would not supply gold or silver to private individuals in Zwolle, but would only work for the masters in Zwolle and send the remaining fruits of his labor elsewhere. This request was also rejected by the Zwolle administrators. Fels then turned to Kampen and acquired Kampen citizenship on 5 May 1783. Jan Jacob Fels died on 29 April 1829. His two daughters also worked as silversmiths or as sellers of gold and silver objects.
I can't say for sure what the crown meant. Perhaps Jan Jacob Fels bought the cutlery with the crown mark and sold it with his maker's mark.

Source: Glans langs de Ijssel zilver uit Zutphen, Deventer, Zwolle en Kampen. B. Dubbe, Zwols zilver Het Zwolse goud-en zilversmidsambacht en zijn meesters.


Peter.

Thank you all for your valuable input and thoughtful contributions.
I must say — what an unexpected twist! This new version feels very close to the real answer.
Bravo to everyone involved — truly impressive work! Bravo Peter! 👍❤️