RARE Antique French 9.5" Plate Set, 6 Hand Painted Royal Crests and Heavy Silver Encrustation
Magnificent and impossibly rare set of 6 hand painted royal armorial crests and heavy French silver encrusted dinner or place plates. I am certain they have been created for some very special event, and while there must be others floating out there somewhere, I've never seen any created like this, and can't find any examples of same or similar. The silver encrustation is heavy, highlighted in gold accents, and I can find the French diamond poincon on back, a silversmith's registered signature mark, but no Minerve mark, which indicates the silver may be a lower purity than .800/1000 (Minerve #2) or .950/1000 pure silver (Minerve #1). I tested, and it did not rise to .800, so perhaps the encrustation is nickel silver, instead. Again, not just a border, but thick overlay encrustation. Someone suggested to me Puiforcat made some similar heavy silver encrusted plates, but I also have not found examples of those. There is not a maker mark on back of any plate. Each of the crown topped and ro