Anyone know how to read French Hallmarks?
 

I have acquired a new French smallsword with what looks to be silver hallmarks on one of the annelets. The sword blade is marked to Guyon the Elder from St Michael Bridge, Paris. This supposedly dates the sword from 1750 - 1767 but it would be nice to see what can be found from the hallmarks.

Unfortunately, try as I might, I can’t get a good read on them. Hopefully a member here will be experienced enough to decipher them.

Have you tried HERE ?

Yes, thank you. However, those images are all from nice flat surfaces….. Difficult to match them with the ones on such a narrow surface as annelets.

Just had another look; the crowned V could be a Crowned P for Paris or the wolf's head for Versailles. Or it could be a crowned V, and they don't list. There aren't a lot of makers marks from before 1800 on that site either (I'm thinking the one that shows the E is the maker's mark).

Possibly relevant, from the Dutch hallmarks page on that site:


EDIT: And the E would be the dating code; 1839.

Thank you Werecow, its a possibility. However, the dates don't match the blade (not conclusive I know), and there are three stamps, not four.

Also, the E is part of a larger stamp which I suspect is the makers' mark.

I posted on the forums linked with the 925-1000.com site and received the following (very helpful reply):

https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewt...hp?f=7&t=60969

So good you cracked it :cool:.

Congratulations Radboud ! this is one of the nicest ive seen in this genre and in mint condition.
As a former Napoleonic collector im also a sucker for 18thc C French swords and certainly like this one, i mean massive silver, mint condition, the blade makers adress on the blade, ok the French did this but only on the high quality items, this one must have belonged to a high ranked French noble man.
Seeing things like this draws me back more and more to my old love, which made me start collecting in the first place.
kind regards
Dirk