144 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Beginning with the silver of French origin, there are two ewers 

 of typical French style, both wrought in Paris by unidentified silver- 

 smiths of the 18th century. Earlier than these is a silver-gilt dish by 

 a Paris silversmith of about the year 1700. The third 18th century 

 piece is an ecuelle and cover, also of Paris workmanship, which is 

 engraved with the initials of Joseph Signay, Archbishop of Quebec. 

 Another charming French ecuelle bears the initials of Joseph Octave 

 Plessis, Bishop of Quebec. The cover is of later date and was probably 

 made in Quebec by a silversmith bearing the initials E.D. There are 

 two other French ecuelles and one of the eighteenth-century French 

 wine-tasters. A silver-gilt dish with beautiful ewers for wine and 

 water, a navette, a censer and an important crosier, complete the list 

 of French eighteenth century silver. One of the treasures examined 

 was a beautiful Louis XIV gold snuff box of Bishop Jean Olivier 

 TBriand, Bishop of Quebec from 1766 to 1784. 



The lack of a good book on French silversmiths' marks, renders 

 impossible the identification of the makers' names and their exact 

 dates. 



Local silversmiths' handicraft is represented by two large oval 

 dishes; a bowl for Holy Water; a pair of candlesticks; and a very large 

 soup ladle, dated 1785, all by Francois Ranvoyzé of Quebec, of whom 

 a brief biography is added later. 



English silver of the 18th century is represented by a pair of 

 square-shaped candlesticks in the "Adam" style of decoration, and 

 by a small plain salver, made in London in 1761-62 and 1780-81, 

 respectively, both of which belonged to Archbishop Signay. There 

 is also a plain cream ewer. 



A large oval tray, of late 18th or early 19th century date is 

 puzzling from the conjunction of part of an English hall-mark, and 

 the head of George III and the lion, with the maker's initials and name 

 5. Marion. In the early nineteenth century contemporary English 

 marks were reproduced by silv^ersmiths of the City of New York and 

 of Lisbon in Portugal. This tray may have been wrought in Quebec 

 or Montreal by S. Marion, who wished to improve the occasion by 

 adding two English marks. A long oval bread basket, which belonged 

 to Archbishop Signay, appears to have similar marks. 



Laurent Amyot, the second Quebec silversmith, is well repre- 

 sented, first by an important ewer, the most decorated example of his 

 work observed by the writer; it belonged to Archbishop Signay. The 

 second piece, a handsome ewer with fluted body, engraved on one side 

 with a ship in a storm, is inscribed: 



