Wonderful antique French hallmarked sterling silver 5pc meat & salad serving implement set, a 3pc carving set with "manche a gigot" and matching salad servers, elegant Classical or Empire style pattern and original fitted storage or presentation box! Complete, all five pieces are original and matching, all gorgeous! Silversmith marks and the printed label inside the lid of the box are for Charles Barrier, 7 rue Reaumur, Paris circa 1905-1913. The French Minerve or Minerva hallmark on all handles, the tiny number "1" within those marks designating .950 silver content (95% pure and higher than the .925 standard for sterling silver). The steel blades and carving fork have been replaced on this very old set with a modern (and very clean-looking) stainless steel set (or they were made right at the invention of stainless steel, the mark "Inox" meaning stainless), making them all the more beautiful at table. A beautiful serving set, don't miss them!
Very good-excellent condition. As you can see in the images, there is a bit of tarnish to the steel portions of the meat fork and gigot. Some subtle dimples to the handles, perhaps, but no dents. No breaks, damage or repairs to note. Some staining visible to the natural salad spoon & fork pair from dressings (mostly visible on the back sides though), but I'm told these come clean with denture tablets. I will not try it, working about soaking this material in water, but if our buyer wishes to do so, passing along that idea. The box is in fine shape, age considered. See pictures for weights and measurements.
