THIS LISTING IS FOR AN ANTIQUE (c late 1800s / early 1900s) THIRTY SIX PIECE SET OF HEAVY GAUGE SILVER PLATED TABLE CUTLERY, BY THE RENOWNED FRENCH SILVERSMITHS 'ERCUIS' OF OISE IN NORTHERN FRANCE. THE SET CONSISTS OF TWELVE LARGE DINNER FORKS 20.3cm LONG. TWELVE LARGE DESSERT SPOONS 20.4cm. ELEVEN TEA SPOONS 13.5cm. AND A LARGE SERVING LADLE WHICH IS 32.3cm. THE SET WAS ORIGINALLY THIRTY SEVEN PIECES, HOWEVER OVER THE YEARS, A TEA SPOON HAS BEEN LOST - AS TEA SPOONS TEND TO DO! UNTIL RECENTLY THE CUTLERY WAS IN A WOODEN PRESENTATION CANTEEN,, WHICH HAD PRETTY WELL DISINTEGRATED WHILST IN STORAGE - ALL THAT NOW REMAINS IS THE 'ERCUIS' GREY SATIN LID LINER. EACH PIECE OF CUTLERY HAS THE 'ERCUIS' STAMP, AND IT IS ALSO MARKED 'ARGENTE' 80g. THE '80' REFERS TO THE OLD METHOD OF GRADING THE GAUGE OF THE SILVER PLATE USED - THE 80g BEING THE WEIGHT OF SILVER USED TO COAT TWENTY FOUR ITEMS OF CUTLERY - '80' BEING AN EXTREMELLY HIGH GRADE. 'ERCUIS' WERE PROLIFIC SILVERSMITHS FROM 1867 ONWARDS, AND THEIR RETIRED CUTLERY PATTERNS ARE IN GREAT DEMAND. THIS ELEGANT CUTLERY WOULD BE SUITED TO EVEN THE GRANDEST OF TABLES. I HAVE MORE CUTLERY, TOGETHER WITH NUMEROUS OTHER VINTAGE AND ANTIQUE LISTINGS - MULTI ITEM POSTAGE DISCOUNT WOULD OF COURSE BE GIVEN WHERE APPLICABLE.THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO PERUSE MY COLLEDTION. Colin.