Silver double sided salt dip/cellar mark help?

[HistoryTeacher]

I got this a while back in a lot of stuff and have tried finding out more about it, but have come up empty. I can't even guess at the time period or nation of origin. The dog detail is unusual. Is this a salt cellar?
Size: 3 5/8" by 2 1/4"
Weight: 106 grams (its chunky)
Acid tests as silver

There are three marks including a centaur holding a hammer (similar to Orfèvrerie ERCUIS but that one is holding an arrow), a stylized GD?, and a number that looks like 1?38 maybe.

Any thoughts on this?

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Very interesting piece, nice find!

 

[JimDon]

Very strange how they mixed motifs, I am not sure how there is a connection between the scallop shells and the dogs. The mark is for ERCUIS Which is a Paris-based manufacturer of silver. Being that it is French without French silver Hallmarks it most assuredly is plated.

 

[ARC]

This MAY be a nut dish believe it or not.

 

[captain flintlock]

Very strange how they mixed motifs, I am not sure how there is a connection between the scallop shells and the dogs. The mark is for ERCUIS Which is a Paris-based manufacturer of silver. Being that it is French without French silver Hallmarks it most assuredly is plated.
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I briefly did a quick research on this and thought the same two things. No real true silver mark, making it more than likely plated. Then the dogs and scallop shells. Not sure how the two go together even in an artistic fashion. Crazy piece for sure!

 

[HistoryTeacher]

Thanks for all the feedback and thoughts. I am often guilty of overly optimistic thinking.

It is probably Orfèvrerie ERCUIS. I still see a hammer in the hand of the Centaur, but Orfèvrerie ERCUIS has had many variations of their logo over the years so it probably is Orfèvrerie ERCUIS. It was in a box of stuff I bought that had several European pieces. The company is still around today doing work in sterling and plated and makes high end pieces and does custom work. I may try to contact them.

While I usually take a lack of silver stamp as near God-given proof that a piece is not silver, I am still leaning towards this piece being sterling. I did a second acid test and it also came out as silver. The tarnish patterns look right, the weight is right, the feel is right, and the little nicks and dents that silver show as opposed to plated look right. I guess I need to take it somewhere that can test it electronically to be sure one way or the other.

Thanks again.



It is a weird piece indeed.

 

[XtreasureX]

One of the best silver finds I have made was a porringer from a Boston silversmith. After it was cleaned up, I found an engraving on the handle with a name and date from 1862. It wasn't marked sterling, standard, or coin. Only the makers mark and city. I don't know when the sterling mark was widely used but it wasn't used in 1862. I sold that piece for nearly $3k. I paid three bucks for it because it wasn't marked. Your piece does look good. The patina is heavy. Trust you testing.