Exquisite Antique Silver Bonbons Service Set By H Soufflot

Exquisite Antique French Silver ‘Bonbons’ Service Set by Henri Soufflot
Though called a Bonbon Service Set, they were more considered as dessert service sets and could come with several different implements.
They became one of the gifts of preference for a wedding and were rarely composed of more then 4 pieces, hence the fact that the 6 pieces set we have here is really quite rare.
One could choose between different implements on offer ranging from several types of spoons to sugar tongs and pie or candy servers.

Our lovely set by Henri SOUFFLOT is decorated in the Rocaille or Louis XV with lovely floral scroll style handles.
All piece sport a gorgeous Vermeil or 18 carat gold was finish which is intact.

The loveliest part is the work on the spoons bodies which are hand carved with floral scrolls and with a lovely cutaway design.
Starting by looking at the full picture of the implements (1st picture) on the left hand side we have Sugar Tongs which are found again at the other end of the display case (3.93 inches long).
Second from the left comes a Cherry or candied fruit fork, found once more at the opposite spot in the display box (4.92 inches long).
Then we have our Strawberry spoon which is 5.03 inches long again mirrored on the other side of the box.
Then we have our Small Cake or Fondant Server (5.11 inches long) found again on the other side of the case.
All pieces are in great state! No marks or losses to the silver. The work on them is just exquisite!
They come in their original display box which is in very good condition!

The Hallmark is Minerva 1st title- (950/1000) 1838/1919 – Paris

The Makers Mark is for ‘Maître Orfèvre’ Henri SOUFFLOT.
It shows his initials topped by a rising sun with a star below.
He registered his mark in April 1884, taking over the workshop of from Henri Chenailler.
He cancelled his mark in November 1910.
His workshop was located 89 rue de Turbigo in Paris

An interesting other mark can be found on 3 other pieces re-stamped over Henri Soufflot’s Mark. It is that of Leon LAMBERT who was a jeweler and owned a shop where he resold different silversmiths high end pieces at 23 rue Vieille du Temple between the years 1881 and 1904. Hence we can pinpoint the creation of this particular set to between 1884 and 1904.

Reference number: SST-257