Set of three tablespoons and three forks of fiddle thread pattern with imperial monogram NE under crown to handle in .950 silver by Etienne Henri Sanoner (Paris), with his hallmarks:
- Minerva’s head with a lock of hair on the temple in an irregular octagonal frame; Paris from 1838 to 1919.
- E (rabbit) S in a diamond of Etienne Henri Sanoner, 79 rue Quincampoix, 75003 Paris.
- Grasshopper (la sauterelle) with chevron
The set is housed in a hinged box with a blue velvet and silk insert; the outside is made of dark green chagrin and monogrammed with gilt NE under the crown on the lid; two brass swing clasps.
Length of spoon, fork = 20 cm; weight spoon 64.3 g, fork 63.0 g; box 24 x 25 x 4 cm; weight of the set in box brutto 957.6 g.
Provenance: Présent du couple impérial Napoléon III et Eugénie. Napoleon III [Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte] (French, 1808 – 1873), Eugénie de Montijo [María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick] (Spanish-French, 1826 – 1920).
Contributors:
Etienne Henri Sanoner (French, 1824 – 1868) – silversmith
