Silver Carving Set and Fish Servers- 1st Minerva - .950 silver - A. Debain, Paris - 1883-1911

A French first standard silver set of four serving pieces, consisting of a carving knife, lamb clamp, and fish servers. The set was made by the silversmith Alphonse Debain (active March 19, 1883 - March 8, 1911). The silver handles decorated with garlands and acanthus leaves in the style of Louis XIV, the openwork silver-plated blades of the fish servers with a finely chiselled pattern of water plants. The blade of the knife is made of steel, with some corrosion spots.

Marked on the handles with [A-Woodcock-D]

In his time, Alphonse Debain - himself a son and grandson of goldsmiths, was a well-known name. He first exhibited his wares at the 1889 World Exhibition (Exposition Universelle) in Paris, where he won a gold medal. During the exhibition of 1900 he was elected as one of the jury members. He was also recognized as one of France's most notable silversmiths during the Art Nouveau period.