BY JEAN-MARIE TIRON (FL. 1748-1773) CALLED TIRON DE NANTEUIL OR TIRON LE CADET, MARKED, PARIS, 1765/1766, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-JACQUES PREVOST 1762-1768

Jean-Marie Tiron was the son of Pierre Tiron (fl.1701-57) and the younger brother of François-Guillaume Tiron (fl. 1747-75). He became master on 27 November 1748, sponsored by Jean Briceau. In 1749 he was working in partnership with his brother at the sign of the Golden Apple in the rue St Louis. The partnership was dissolved in 1756 and Tiron moved to the sign of the Diamond Apple in the same street. In 1761 he acquired the business of Jean Ducrollay and moved into his house on the place Dauphine. In 1761 he struck a new mark JT, which is found on gold boxes which date after 1761, rather than the JMT which he registered in 1748. Tiron described himself as bijoutier du Roi, although in 1764 the firm is still referred to as 'Tiron et Ducrollay', and it wasn't until 1765 that Tiron is mentioned alone. In 1773 he is described as “ancien bijoutier du Roy" so it must be assumed that he had retired by this time, although he is recorded at the house in the rue du Cimetière St André in 1781.