Featured Silver box set with amethyst - unknown mark

Took a chance on this little (8cm across) box (was black with tarnish). Cleaned up and it tests as high grade silver, Sterling or perhaps .900, stones are amethyst. Has a teeny tiny mark stamped into the flange - FV with something which looks a bit like a soda syphon inbetween. I can't seem to find this anywhere, any thoughts, or possible country of origin which may help the search, tia.

 

The 'thing' in between looks like a weapon to me - something with an axe?

 

Maybe a fasces, which might indicate Italian:

 

The style does look Italian to me, but the shape of the cartouche of the mark is different from the usual fasces mark.

Are there tiny letters inside the oval, top left? Last letter P? Trapani maybe?

 

I'll need to carry out a more detailed and exhaustive examination ......

Please send me the box....well wrapped , with a prepaid return envelope.....

you'll be glad u did.................. and so will I !!!......

 

Are you sure about that?

 

a more detailed and exhaustive examination

now, just who wouldn't be happy with that................

 

No further letters sadly, I had been considering Germany, Austria and France, but not Italy. Agree mark is similar but not the same. Have just found another mark though - so hard to see as they are about 1mm across and on the edge of what my macro lens can do, but pretty sure this is a French import mark (the ant or spider thing). Doesn't get the origin though of course.

 

Just dropped onto this, looks like this one also has French import marks, they don't mention further marks or suggest original origin. Pretty sure that has to be the same maker. It's a fun price too!

https://www.eltonantiquejewellery.com/products/victorian-silver-amethyst-pill-box

 

oh ya...that looks legit.....

 

Weevil. Import mark.

 

Forgot, the fasces has something to do with France as well as Italy.

 

Don't know what they mean by "French treaty countries".

 

Weevil, that's the one. So a French 19th century treaty country that went by the initial FV (likely in French), perhaps that's the answer.

 

Not a country, treaty or not. Maker

 

Treaty countries = colonies? Maybe N. Africa - Algeria/Tunisia/Morocco? Seems to me those would be the most likely to find someone using a mark like the fasces.

And note that the import mark was in use to 1984.

 

The 'treaty countries' were those who had customs treaty agreements with other countries, primarily concerning drawbacks, the refunding of duties to the exporting country should the items be exported again. The countries could be virtually anywhere in the world, and the list of those countries would change and could be extensive, depending on period.

Not sure a particular country could be assigned to the use of a fasces, it was a common symbol of strength and authority - as example, American silver maker Willliam B. Kerr used a fasces as their trademark, and it appeared on the reverse of U.S. Mercury dimes, replaced with a torch on the Roosevelt dimes after WWII (for obvious reasons).

All that said, it's a lovely piece, can't help with the 'FV' mark, but if guessing its origin, like AJ, would suspect Italy...

~Cheryl

 

Thanks for explaining treaty countries in this context.

If some country were using it as a control mark, I'm guessing that would be well known.

 

THESE ARE things that tempt me to break my rule and think about buying....like I NEED ONE more luscious thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sexy little thing