Antique French Sterling Silver Gravy Boat, Sauce Boat, Leon Lapar

Antique 19th century French sterling silver gravy boat, sauce boat by renown silversmith Leon Lapar. Richly decorated in elegant Rococo style. With spiral fluting to the body, flanked by curved handles accented with scalloped shell embellishments. The base of the tray features two finely engraved crowns of a count or earl. Original sterling silver liner insert. Very finely crafted from the highest quality silver. In good antique condition with general wear commensurate with use/age, there is a small indention to the sterling insert and an indention to the bottom of the tray. Hallmarked with the French Minerve 1st standard mark, depicting the goddess Minerva with a number 1 beside her to denote a silver content of 950/1000 (of 95% silver and a higher finesse than .925 sterling). Bearing maker’s marks for Léon Lapar, this mark in use from 1878 to 1897 at 16 rue de Choiseul, Paris. Measures 9 3/4″ x 6 1/2″ x 3 7/8″ height. Weighs 800.7 grams.