Not long ago, I was working on an appraisal and once again came across the name of this jeweller from the early 20th century, whose I love the pieces. As luck would have it, I came across the name again a few days later, but this time – as is all too often the case – it was misspelt as Peyroula or Peyroulax, or even worse, Peyroulat. So I thought I’d show it to you, in the hope that from now on you’ll avoid making mistakes when you come across its maker’s mark.
The story begins on 6 May 1868 at the registry office in Saint-Benoit-du-Sault, Indre, when Sylvain Ernest Peyroulx – a senior tax clerk – declared the birth of his son to his wife Marie Rose Juliette Massicot. Jules Auguste Ernest Peyroulx had just been born. As the French administration writes a lot, it is easy to trace him via the census records, which I will not go into in detail. However, it should be noted that the family moved regularly, mainly due to the father’s work as a French civil servant.
In 1899, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, Auguste was 30 years old and married a young woman named Mélanie Madelaine Carcanagues, whose mother Estelle Alexandrine Lievin was registered as a widow and jeweller. A few months later, a daughter – Jeanne – was born. The couple divorced in 1920. In subsequent censuses, Madelaine (listed as a jewellery representative) and Jeanne can be found at one address and Auguste at another. It seems, therefore, that he did not retain custody of his daughter. How he learned jewellery is a mystery, but the link with his wife’s family is certainly a very good lead.
In any case, he set up his business on 1 March 1904 and closed it on 11 October 1937. His workshop was at 5 rue d’Alger, then 12 rue de Turbigo. He died on 28 August 1945 at his home, 18 rue Victor Massé in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Although he was a jeweller, he was above all a goldsmith. He supplied boxes, cases and smokers’ articles, usually lacquered or enamelled. He was a well-known manufacturer for Cartier and Sandoz, to name but two. But in a career spanning more than thirty years, the man had time to put his stamp on some absolutely magnificent pieces.
So now you know, there’s no excuse for making mistakes…
See you soon!
