Featured Please help identify the maker and age of French 18 Karat yellow gold sewing kit in fitted ivory box

Hello again,
Hope you are all keeping well.
I would like to ask your opinion on the attached sewing kit.
I have purchased it and would like to know if anyone can identify the letters on the lid.
Some of the items inside are hallmarked with an eagle head and few other hallmarks I can't relate to anything, some are hallmarked with a alligator or chrocodile picture, is that even possible? And would they also be solid 18 karat gold ( except for the metal part)?
The thimble for example has number 3 inside and one more hallmark looking like a line.
I have done some research and seen symilar ones dating from around 1880 to 1900.
The box is ivory, tested.
Any idea of the design?
Thank you all.
Best wishes,
Simona
P.S. I will clean them and post some better photos.

 

Wow. Looks very impressive and must have been very expensive back in the day (and now also) Hopefully someone can
figure out the Initials and the other details. Must have been for someone very upper class,rich or important.Best to post the close-up and detailed photos asap.

 

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-an-ivory-cased-gold-sewing-set-french-4485990/?

 

It seems to me that the letters are the owner's monogram.

 

Thank you.
I wonder if anyone may recognise this monogram.
@Bronwen
@Ownedbybear
@Figtree3
@Any Jewelry

 

To me, it seems old script E C

 

It is gorgeous, Simona.

Ditto.

Tagging @Poisonivy , I know she'll want to see this.

 

The 3 on the thimble may very well be the size...
Beautiful piece!
Leslie

 

Some clear, sharp pictures of the hallmarks may tell a lot. An idle guess on material would be vermeil (gold plated silver), but the hallmarks will probably tell (not impossible that it's gold). I'd guess your impression of the date is pretty good. Maybe a bit earlier - 2nd Empire (Napoleon III)? Stylistically may be a revival of Mannerist or Baroque (16th-17th C styles).

 

The eagles head is a French hallmark for 18ct gold on items made after 1838, the box therefore will be about the same age and Ivory, the monogram is as pointed out the owners initials, the 3 on the thimble will be the size.
Alligator and crocodile marks might also might be French but I'm not sure on that, It certainly looks like a French set and very nice.
French hallmarks are a nightmare to spot and decipher so have a really good look at all the items with a good loupe.

 

It is beautiful. I have only seen one of these in an antique store, had the same shell shaped box but it was marked Tahan. It was extremely expensive but I loved it.

 

Looks right to me!

 

Phroar. That's a fine thing. I agree on EC and that the working parts will be steel. I also agree it may be vermeil but a close up of the marks is needed.

 

Thank you so much for your reply, I have now cleaned it and managed to take some photos. It's solid 18 carat gold, the hallmarks on the middle and etui are an eagle, no frame around it, on the other side of the etui there is one more hallmark, can't make up anything.
The others are hallmarked an alligator I think, please see photographs.
I wonder if the letters from the monogram brings any bells, E.C as I think this type of set would have been targeted to higher class at the time.
Can anyone give me a much closer date than my presumption.
Thank you so much.
Xx

 

Great job on cleaning it, Simona.
The lozenge shaped marks are French maker's marks

 

Hi Any,
I can see a " L i B "or a " L i R " in the middle of the diamond shape, similar to the photo, but not a cross, just a line in the middle.
I had a good look again, all of the pices have an eagle head, it looks like an alligator if it's beeing looked at upside down. Great imagination, hay.
@Ownedbybear
@Poisonivy
Thank you

 

I am sorry, I can't see it, and a great online resource on French maker's marks the wonderful @kyratango gave me is no longer there.
Maybe kyra recognises the mark?

Yes, the alligator is an eagle's head.

Does come in handy sometimes, but not always.

 

Uh, no... Still crying the maker’s marks ressource is not anymore accessible

 

I know! There should be a law against essential precious metal info sites disappearing.

 

I can't make out the makers marks, there were so many at that time too...
Yes, a set like that made of gold would have been for wealthy people, it won't be possible to identify anyone from the monogram but it was obviously treasured and cared for, it might have been handed down the family before ending up on the market.
As for date the Eagles head is 1838 up to the present day but I wouldn't put that set any later than than the last quarter of the 1800s, it's hard to put an exact date but I'd say about 1870-80 ish.
It's a lovely set