Empire silver drageoir and its tray by J.-P.-N. Bibron, Paris 1809-1819

Solid silver "drageoir", sweet dish, in the form of a bowl, the central part decorated with brettes. The scrolled handles are decorated with acanthus leaves and end in horns of plenty. It rests on a pedestal decorated with a applied ring and underlined by a frieze of palmettes, repeated on both pieces. It is topped with a lid featuring a superb swan with outstretched wings resting on a set of acanthus leaves on a radiating applique terrace.

Marks (each ob the three pieces)
• Master goldsmith: Jean-Pierre-Nicolas BIBRON (registered in 1798).
• "2e coq 1er titre" (mark for solid silver in Paris between 1809 and 1819).
• "Garantie de Paris".

French 1st Empire period.


Jean-Pierre Nicolas BIBRON is a Parisian goldsmith from the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century.
He registered his first mark on "18 Frimaire an V" (1798-1799).
He worked at 3, rue de Harlay until 1809, when he moved to 172 rue Saint-Jacques, then 32 rue Bourg-l'Abbé in 1818.


MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

• MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS, PARIS, "Moutardier couvert" solid silver, Empire period (1804-1814), inv. 27422.
• MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS, PARIS, "Salière", solid silver, Paris 1798-1809, inv. 37487 A.
• MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS, PARIS, "Salière", solid silver, Paris 1798-1809, inv. 37487 B.
• CATHÉDRALE SAINT-GATIEN, TOURS, "Calice et patène" gilded silver, Paris 1798-1809.
• ÉGLISE SAINT-GEORGES, FRANKEN, "Calice" gilded silver", Paris, 1809.
• ÉGLISE PAROISSIALE NOTRE-DAME-DU-RONCIER, JOSSELIN, "Ciboire des malades", solid silver, Paris, 1798-1809 ; classified as Historical Monument on January 26, 1982.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Archive de la Garantie, Paris, pl. d’insculpation n°3 et 15.
• Archive de la Monnaie, Paris, plaque d’insculpation An V.
• Archive de la Monnaie, Paris, Registre des délibérations An IV à an XI.
• Almanach du Commerce 1805, 1806.
• Almanach Azur 1811 à 1822.
• PERON A., Tableau des fabriquans en matières d’or, d’argent…, 1804.
• DOUËT S.P., Tableau des symboles de l’orfèvrerie de Paris, 1806.
• DOUËT S.P., Tableau des symboles de l’orfèvrerie de Paris, 1809.
• BOIVIN J., Les Anciens orfèvres, 1925
• HELFT J., Les Nouveaux poinçons, 1982.