France Legion of Honor - Knight

[Tim B]

Well, I couldn't find my old posts that show my previous Knight's Class LoH, so I'll just start a new thread.

Here's my latest beauty. It's a luxury or deluxe version with the berries. Quite nice and as noted before, the berries really make the overall appearance "pop" compared to the normal versions.

Enjoy!

Tim

[Tim B]

Really nice details to it. I have noticed some other members have previously posted a couple "like-examples" and I also noted another one currently for sale that has a more ornate suspension hub. Not sure if they would all be attributed to the same maker?

Tim

Edited June 5, 2010 by Tim B

[Tim B]

What makes this style a bit different from the usual ones is the wreath pattern. Notice the loops (top & bottom).

Tim

Edited June 5, 2010 by Tim B

[Tim B]

It has the Boar's Head for the silver guarantee mark on the front.

[Tim B]

Here's where the diamond mark on the left suspension arm is, or used to be... :unsure:

[Tim B]

You can see where the diamond shape was stamped at one point, but it almost looks like the mark might have been ground or filed off. I assume that any finishing work would have normally been completed prior to stamping the maker's mark, but the toning on the area leads me to believe the mark has been gone for sometime now.

Thoughts?

Tim

[Tim B]

As I can't figure out who the maker is now that the mark is gone, I was wondering if the "looping style wreath" might be a clue and consistent to a specific maker?

Here's one previously posted by another collector in an old thread. He shows the mark (on the suspension ring) of the letters "R" "J" bordering an upright sword. Could it be the same here? Any other examples with this looping style wreath that has a known maker mark?

Thanks!

Tim

[Tim B]

Just another variation with the ornate suspension hub. Other than that, appears to be the same as mine.

Tim

[Bison]

Here's one previously posted by another collector in an old thread. He shows the mark (on the suspension ring) of the letters "R" "J" bordering an upright sword. Could it be the same here? Any other examples with this looping style wreath that has a known maker mark?

Hi Tim

This is the mark of the jeweller Raymond Juif : <R - a peg leg - J>. It is not a sword...

You will find many variations of the Légion d'honneur made by private jewellers. Sometimes, they do not wear the mark of the manufacturer.

[Tim B]

Hi Bison!

Oh, okay. Looking at the mark it sort of resembled a sword to me. What appears to be the hand guards must be just the scripted part of the letters R & J.

So, do you think these pieces with this type wreath might be from the same maker, or were there others that utilized this style as well?

Thanks again and another case in point of needing a good reference thread on maker's marks.

Best,

Tim

[Bison]

Hi tim

You can use a peg leg as a sword... but it is still a peg leg!

(picture made by g_deploige who is also a 'connaisseur')

Yours

[Tim B]

Nice! Of course it would take some sharpening!!

Nice PIC to illustrate the mark. So, again, do you think the maker is the same on my example (with this style of wreath) or not enough information to be positive?

Best,

Tim

[Bison]

Yes I am 90% positive (we never could be 100%).

I think it is Raymond Juif's mark, with no many risks.

Yours