Dragons Decorated French Silver Drageoir by JN Boulanger

A very whimsical Antique French Silver Drageoir by Maître Orfèvre Jean Nicolas BOULANGER.

Showcasing rare and very well depicted Dragons for handles, this lovely 18th Century Drageoir, rests on a square base and silver pearls.
The Openwork body features two Muses holding musical instruments. On one side a toga draped Muse plays the Long Lyra or Barbitos dating back to the 5th Century BC.
On the other side the Muse plays a more common Lyra found in Greece and Asia Minor.
The lower end of the Drageoir is delicately decorated with a floral silver lattice.
The Lid is topped by laurel wreath finial.
Both the body and lid show an A L monogram.
The crystal is original and in perfect shape.

The Hallmark is 1er Coq for Paris 1st Title Silver (950/1000) 1798/1809
But it also shows (photo # 8) the 1st Jeanette Mark for the Association of the Goldsmiths (Associations des Orfèvres) used from 1793 to 1794 before the Marks were registered once again after the end of the French Revolution.
This piece was hence started between 1793 and 1794 and was finished by 1809.

The Makers Mark is for Maître Orfèvre Jean Nicolas Boulanger.
This is his second Mark. His first Mark was registered in 1783.
The second Mark shown here was registered after the End of the French Revolution and shows a JNB topped by a ‘pestle’. This mark was created in 1798.
His workshop were located 9 Cour Neuf du Palais in Paris.

France 18th Century c.H: 10.23"W: 7.28"D: 4.72"Reference number: D-192