BY MATHIEU COINY (FL. 1755-1788), MARKED, PARIS, 1763/1764, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-JACQUES PREVOST 1762-1768, STRUCK WITH THE FRENCH POST-1838 GUARANTEE MARK FOR GOLD

Mathieu Coigny represents the third generation of a family of goldsmiths, with his father and grandfather both working in Versailles. His brothers Joseph-Urbain and Jacques-Toussaint were also goldsmiths in Paris. Matthieu Coigny became master, endorsed by his brother, in 1755 and worked on the Pont Notre-Dame. He was elected garde of the corporation of goldsmiths in 1771-1772, and his studio was ranked in 1774 in 116th position among the goldsmiths of Paris. His boxes can now be found in the collections of the Louvre, the Wallace Collection and the Metropolitan Museum.