French silver Violin shaped of foliage, palm leaves and shells decoration Paris 1845-1855, marked and H. THOMAS and "Minerve 1er titre", swan Dimensions 21,2 cm Medium 140 g Notes Hippolyte THOMAS was a Paris spoon goldsmith, registered 1845-1855. In 1861 THOMAS associated himself with spoon maker Jean-Louis HÉNIN. Together they produced for ODIOT in order to fulfil Said Pacha's order of a 3000 pieces gilt silver cutlery set, replicating the one that had been made for Prince DEMIDOFF. Delivered in 1862, it was one of the largest commissions ever received by ODIOT. The mark was cancelled in August 1865. A spoon by H. Thomas is conserved at the Metropolitan Museum in New York