19th antique french horn handled 45pc table fruit knife serving set silver box

All shipping costs and US customs duties are already included in the price? no surprise fees upon delivery.
This piece was hand-selected with care — if you love it but the price feels high, just message me. I'm always happy to chat!

Antiques of Provence, Avignon, France.

   
       
       

   

Lovely complete 45pc antique French Napoleon III to Belle Epoque era genuine carved horn handled table, fruits knife & serving utensil set, ornate silver collars, "Limousin & Fils à Chatellerault" marked blades and in the original layered storage and/or presentation box or chest!  

 Silver collars on all but the large serving spoons/shell pair and the fish server are in .800 to sterling silver.  

 Some tarnish marks are visible but all are in great shape for age and materials, perfectly usable and with immense French style & charm.  

The set includes:
 12x each in the larger dinner 9.8" and smaller luncheon or dessert knives 8.1" (25cm & 20.5cm)
12x fruit knives with silver blades 8.3" (21cm)
A meat carving knife & fork with lamb.
2x large serving spoons/shell (silver vermeil).
A salad serving spoon & fork.   
A fish server set (horn and silver).
A butter knife (1 is missing in the box).


Lovely, elegant, perfect to accompany a fine antique French sterling silver table service!


A note about knives: A traditional wedding gift, these magnificent French sterling silver flatware sets were almost always packaged without knives. Why is this? Another French tradition has to do with the gift of knives or a knife as a symbol of the cutting or ending of a relationship. And no where on earth is tradition more important, perhaps, than to the French culture. So, in light of the symbolism of the gift, knives were not part of a wedding gift, not packaged or even usually made with the matching pattern of the forks, spoons in a set, and are something added later and as compliments to the table's sterling silver choice. And ever the center influence in fashion, this also opportuned the happy result of knives made in coordinating and complimenting fashion with handles of rich elegant mother of pearl, fine ivory, blond natural horn, or exotic hardwoods like ebony (a French Empire 'must') walnut, rosewood. The result is that you can add sets of knives to compliment and define your table setting.\r\rMore about knives: Louis XIV, A rennaisance man if ever there were one, The Sun King - builder of Versailles, was also the man responsible for the design of the modern table knife. Prior to his time, knives used at table were similar to knives used to kill game, fight wars, and possibly kill Kings. There was a time when knives were even banned from the table for such intrigues, and it was Louis XIV's table upon which the blunt and rounded tip knives for dining were introduced to the world at large







Return
Policy
We always honor a 30-day return on our items, and guarantee
them to be as described.
Money back, less shipping costs, which are
not refundable, so ask questions if necessary. We're easy to deal
with.

Shipping
and Handling Policy

You
are very important! Our fine inventory is very important. And your
ranking of our performance is also very important! 
We wish to keep
our 4.9 - 5 star ratings in all categories. Customer satisfaction is
Paramount with us
 so if you're thinking we have not deserved your
highest marks, please contact us and allow us to be sure your
concerns are completely satisfied before you rank us.
We aim for
5-star transactions every day, and depend upon you to tell us
directly if we have not yet met that standard for your transaction.

Our
shipping days are Tuesday and Friday, paid items will be shipped on
the first shipping day after payment is received (except when special
circumstances exist).
 We prefer to use COLISSIMO whenever possible, and
require all packages to be insured.