How reproductions in silver of museum collection items can lead to tremendous confusion, and mislead collectors, auction houses and experts!
A thrilling work for experts who are living a professional life similar to Hercule Poirot’s(famous Belgian detective …of course! – cf.: Agatha Christie)
A beautiful solid silver coffee set, created in the heavy decorated style of the second half of the 19th century.
Wearing ‘at first sight’, the following marks and hallmarking system:
- The Silversmith:
FRANCISCO MARZO
a 19th silversmith from Madrid who made numerous pieces for the service of S. M. Alfonso XII
On March 18, 1875 he was named Assistant of the Guardajoyas (Jewelkeeper) of S. M., charge that is ratified on January 28, 1886, adding also that of Guardajoyas (Jewellkeeper) of SAR the Princess of Asturias. His workshop and shop were located in the Carrera de San Jerónimo number 4, he died on March 13, 1891 .
- Also wearing the CITY MARKS for Madrid 1878 – Spain
- Stamped wih ‘PN’ ? mark for ‘Patrimonio Nacional’ ( National Cultural Heritage from the Spanish Court Patrimony)
- Adorned with beautiful coat of arms
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These coat of arms are those 1- of the Spanish Royal family and the shield with the « A » ara King Alfonso XII coat of arms
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After identification work, consulting silver specialist in Spain Madrid ( Mr José Luis Muñoz) we put our two heads, experience, and knowledge together on this difficult research work and confusing hallmarking systems. And exchanged our points of view.
Because we also can read Spanish 20th century hallmarks on this set
Our heads were filled with question marks ?
We had different possibilities at this stage of our identification work
Questions?
Could this set have been robbed?
Could this set have been forged?
Or?…..
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In fact the Reality is the following.
This beautiful set is a reproduction (copy) of a Spanish XIX th. C. coffee set by Francisco Marzo – Madrid – date 1878.
The original set belongs to the PN (Patrimonio Nacional – Palacio Real de Madrid.-Spanish Court) – National Heritage of the SpanishCourt-RoyalPalace of Madrid
Sterling silver coffee set in 925°/°° – Silversmith: J. Yanes
Marked with his jeweller’s mark – Madrid – Spain
Date: end of the 20th c.
Material: Silver: 925 °/°°
Technique: Casting technique. By creating a mould of each original pieces of the set, this enabled to copy the antique marks as well.
These copies have been made in agreement with the SpanishNationalHeritage-RoyalCourtMuseum at the end of the 20th c.
Total weight: 7700 gr
Dimensions:
Height: coffee Jug is 32 cm. Weight: 2240 grams
Height: Milk jug is 27,5 cm. W.: 1910 grams
Height: Sugar bowl is 21 cm. W.: 1700 gr.
Height: Creamer is 14 cm; diam. 18 cm. W.:.1550 gr.
Length: strainer is 31 cm. width 18 cm. W: 502 gr.
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Hallmarking description
On this set of marks we discover incoherent information: two types of hallmarking.
One Spanish 19th century and another one Spanish 20th century
We had contradictory information about the silver standard.
And a mark of the National Spanish State Heritage: Spanish Royal Court
The 19th c Marks are replicas – reproductions of the antique marks, the reproduction of the pieces was made by casting technique
- replica of the Silversmith marks: FRANCISCO MARZO
F Marzo is the silversmith of the original coffee set from the collection.
Coffee set which belongs to the Museum of the Spanish Royal Court heritage.
FRANCISCO MARZO silversmith from Madrid who made numerous pieces for the service of S. M. Alfonso XII
On March 18, 1875 he was named Assistant of the Guardajoyas (Jewelkeeper) of S. M., charge that is ratified on January 28, 1886, adding also that of Guardajoyas
(Jewellkeeper) of SAR the Princess of Asturias.
His workshop and shop were located in the Carrera de San Jerónimo number 4, he died on March 13, 1891 .
On the left REPLICA of PN : The first mark is that of the Spanish national heritage ( PN for Patrimonio Nacional)
- The original coffee set makes part of the SpanishState National heritage
- On the right Replicas of the two marks – hallmarking – for the city of Madrid date 1878
- Replica of City of Madrid’s hallmarking. The two marks on the right
– The “bear and madroño tree” is for the city of Madrid joined with the Court castle of Madrid, these were applied by the silver testers of the city in the 19th.C.
Below stands ’78 ‘ which is for the year, in this case 1878.
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GENUINE MARKS OF THE 20TH C.
MARKS: J YANES and 925 -A-1
J. Yanes is a famous jeweller from Madrid. ( second part of the 20th century)
925 A-1
Is a Spanish guarantee mark from the end of the 20th c. and refers to the quality of Silver 925 thousandths.
Modern silver guarantee marks, applied later on an antique object, can never stipulate a higher silver standard than the original silver content of an item.
In the 19th c, the silver content was lower than 925°/°°
This brought hesitations in the identification and authentication when we originally thought this set could have been made in the 19th c. and would have received a new
guarantee mark in the 20th C., in fact modern guarantee silver mark always has to be ‘lower’ than the antique silver content.
So we decided to search further with the Jeweller and the PN. Patrimonio Nacional .
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PN: Patrimonio Nacional Español- Spanish State National
Coffee Jug : IN THE CATALOG OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE – OF THE ROYAL HOUSE Nr 286 and yours on the right.
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IMPORTANT PECULIARITY
This coffee set is a copy of parts of the set present in the Spanish Royal Court National Heritage Museum ( PN) , reproduction made by the famous jewellers Yanes in Madrid. with agreement contract of the PN ..
In several series.
ADENDAS – INFORMATIONS FROM
1- From: “J.Yanes” Important jewellers in Madrid.
‘Es un producto de plata de nuestra fabricación, de finales del siglo XX.’
‘It’s a product of our jewellers’ workshop, end of the 20th C.’
2- From: PATRIMONIO NACIONAL
Álvaro Soler del Campo
Jefe del Departamento de Conservación
Conservador de la Real Armería
Dirección de las Colecciones Reales
“Efectivamente se trata de copias realizadas por la joyería Yanes a partir de originales de las colecciones reales, trabajo que se suscribió entre dicha firma y Patrimonio Nacional.
Como habrá podido ver las copias incluyen la marca de Yanes y una marca con las iniciales de Patrimonio Nacional: PN coronadas.”
« Actually those are copies that have been made by Yanes jewellers from the Royal Collections originals, reproduction work that was signed between the firm and national heritage department
As you can see, the copies include Yanes silversmith mark and a mark with the initials of ‘Patrimonio Nacional’: crowned letters PN .
IMPORTANT NOTES …NB:
1- this mark presented on this set is a reproduction of the original mark PN (casting technique)
2- as expert and specialist in antique and modern silverware, I cannot understand and approve how it was allowed to fully copy antique and legal marks in that way, (casting technique ) without thinking about what confusions it could bring in the future. ( Martine D’Haeseleer)
3- this kind of antique silver marks re production by casting technique, would certainly not me permitted by the regulation laws of FRANCE, ENGLAND , HOLLAND
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Identification work and expertise by :
Martine D’Haeseleer – www.silverbel.com – www.silverbel.org
co working with:
This identification has been realised in trustful collaboration with:
Mr José Luis Muñoz (Madrid) – www.munozarce.com
The original identification work had been a mission ordered by
Veilinghuis de Atlas – Deventer – The Netherlands – www.veilinghuisdeatlas.nl
Pictures are a courtesy of the auction house
June 2014
SilverBel 