/biz/ - Business & Finance

>>53712318
Thanks for your kind words fren, it really means a lot to me, but comon, i'm like a little baby compared to you when it comes to finding the good stuff. But i'm glad i have such a senpai to teach me the way of the cheapies.

Speaking of old silverware, i think i might have found my best deal so far, i bet you'll like it. It was quite expensive per oz compared to what i'm used to, but this kind of pieces are really rare. I used your ebay ninja tactics you told me about few days ago, and it did wonders!
This is a great plate "aux filets", 1789, royal hallmarks Fermier Generaux, 25.2oz.
The date is adding something special, it was the year of the french revolution, and most fermier generaux were the first to meet the guillotine during the revolution's Terror (they were the ones charged to collect taxes in the name of the king, taking their pound of flesh in the process, each region had one and as all tax collectors, they were hated above all. iirc 35 out of 40 generals were sentenced to death).
So it's probably one of the very last silver plate to have been stamped with the royal duty hallmarks before the entire system was changed.

The condition is really nice from what i can see on the pics, no deformities, only the usual scratches.
I scouted around on antique auction websites (because i couldn't find any on the ebay sold items' historic), and they are fetching quite the premium in good condition (up to 4-5K). I don't expect to be able to sell for even as near as the ones sold to richfags, but still.. I paid 23€/oz for this (yeah, not really the way of the cheapies, but i simply couldn't resist).
Only thing i've yet to determine is the name of the silversmith, by chance i've found a digital copy of the "dictionary of silversmiths hallmarks from XIV to XIXth century in France" on our national library archives website. I'll dig through this tonight.