Anyone know how to read French Hallmarks?

[werecow]

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

H & I - The crowned "V", used 1814-1893 as a tax mark applied to all imported, unmarked and invalid marked objects of foreign, national and unknown origin. This duty mark does not give any guarantee of a precious metal standard of fineness, is has been used on metal with as low as .250 silver content. Upon the invalidation of the hallmarks of Louis Napoleon’s kingdom of Holland and those of the French Empire in 1816, this mark has also been used as a tax free census mark.

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