A Fine & Rare 19th Century 1st Standard French Silver Pap Boat, 
Paris Circa 1890                                                                        
The silver body richly decorated with foliate repoussé motifs & finely chiselled accents, together with a foliate cast handle. The rim bearing impressed Minerva 1st standard mark (1838-1918) denoting .950 silver fineness, the underside bearing impressed makers mark for Parisian silversmith Alfred Hector.    Dimensions, 1.75” high x 5.75” wide x 2.25” deep. Weight, 75 grams.
 
(Alfred Hector is recorded as working from 1881-1913 at his workshop located at 25 Rue Palestro in Paris).     
                                                                                                                           
Pap boats were made from the mid18th century through to the late 19th century and were used to feed small children with a mixture of milk & bread, and in some instances with medication added. The quality & materials used in making pap boats varied, from very plain utilitarian forms made of pewter, porcelain, glass and sometimes even in wood that were used by the middle class, to those made for the upper class in silver with finely chased & repoussé decoration and fitted with handles - such is the case with this fine example made in .950 fine French silver. Continental silver pap boats are relatively rare given that the vast majority were of British manufacture.