Antique French Napoleonic Sterling Silver 11" Oil & Vinegar Cruet Stand, Cobalt
Elegant antique French Napoleon I era sterling silver 11" oil & vinegar cruet stand or caddy, 1798-1809 hallmarks and gorgeous Empire style figural supports, armorial crest with French Legion of Honor and two beautiful, thick cobalt glass decanters! Elegant, I just love these old French silver pieces and this one, with the gorgeous contrasting cobalt glass leaves very, very little to be desired. Hallmarks all over the place and it bears the 1798-1809 "Coq" and Moyenne hallmarks, the tiny number "1" within the coq mark means that they're all in .950 silver (95% pure and higher than the .925 standard for "sterling" silver). The silversmith marks are slightly hard to decipher but I'll continue to research and add that info if/when I am successful. RARE and OLD, from the time of Napoleon Bonaparte himself likely! And, the "Legion d'Honneur" armorial engraving might mean it belonged to one of his generals? A magnificent, museum quality piece, don't miss it! Very good condition. A small