François NICOUD - Lot 326

François NICOUD Silver asparagus scoop with a silver-inlaid handle. The scoop has a rectangular cross-section and is entirely openwork, featuring a rich incised decoration of scrolls, foliage, and the head of an aging man. Handle decorated with incised foliage and recessed cupules on a striated background. Blank relief coat of arms. Minerva hallmarks, 1st standard (shovel and handle). Hallmark: (“TM,” grain, and crown) for the shovel. Master goldsmith’s hallmark: (“F. NICOUD” with a dot) for François NICOUD, engraved in 1875 and struck through in 1880, 19 Boulevard de Strasbourg in Paris. L: 26.3 cm. W: 9.9 cm. Weight: 205 grams. In its original-style case bearing the inscription: "Maison LAVALLEE, F. NICOUD Successor, 19 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris" (shows signs of use, scuffs, and wear). Case dimensions: H: 5 cm. L: 28.8 cm. D: 13 cm.