Silver Urn on Marble Base

This inkwell shaped as a classical urn has a hinged lit with a pineapple finial. It is stamped with the French Minerva hallmark and rests on a base made of green marble.

The Minerva hallmark is used in France to indicate the purity of silver. It specifically represents sterling silver (known as “argent massif” in French). The hallmark typically features the head of the goddess Minerva (Athena in Greek mythology). This image signifies that the silver content meets a high standard—950 parts per thousand or 95% silver—compared to the English standard of 92.5%.