Absolutely gorgeous & RARE antique French sterling silver 60pc flatware set, a 5pc place setting for TWELVE including those scrumptious knives with solid shimmering mother of pearl handles, matching 13" ladle, ornate Art Nouveau pattern, lovely interlaced "ED" or "DE" monograms and kept in the original 2-layer oak storage and/or presentation chest! Wow, just in from France and as exquisite as can be! Complete and original, nothing missing and no replacements. All pieces but the knives bear the French Minerve or Minerva hallmark, the tiny number "1" within those marks means all are in .950 silver (95% pure and higher than the .925 standard for "sterling" silver). The silversmith marks are for Maillard Freres, Paris circa 1897-1903. A truly glorious set that consists of the following:
12pc Dinner Forks
12pc Dinner Spoons
12pc Teaspoons
13" Soup Ladle
12pc Dinner Knives
12pc Entremet or Dessert Knives
Fitted Oak Chest with Two Layers, Working Lock & Key
Very good to excellent condition. Some pieces have very faint scuffs, marks indicative of having been very well cared for and only slight use. The chest, as you can see, is also in great shape with a polished brass handle on top, escutcheon and working lock with key. Three of the dinner knives have inconspicuous chips at the rounded end and the knife blades are all the original pre-stainless steel so they my have a bit of age tarnish or faint corrosion. All flatware in thick, heavy old French sterling silver and the total weight of the solid silver pieces (estimated based on single piece weights) is 2492 grams or just over 80 troy ounces. Total weight with knives is 3700 grams or 119.5 troy ounces. fAmazing!
