The Harache TrademarkNicolas and Madeleine's Parents
Charles MATTE, Nicolas Matte's father was born 1610 in St Saen, Rouen, Seine Maritime, France and was christened 1610 in Ste. Genevieve En Bray, St Saen, Dieppe, France. He married Barbe HARACHE in 1630 in Rouen, Seine Maritime, Normandy, France.
Nothing is known about Charles Matte. All records for Ste. Genevieve en Bray have never been recovered for the years 1586 - 1631. There are still Mattes in the general area in Normandy, and perhaps someday the mystery will be solved.
Barbe HARACHE, Nicolas Matte's mother was born 1612 in St Saen, Rouen, Normandie, France. She died before 1671 in France. Barbe Harache's family were Huguenots (Protestants). The Harache family fled to England from France in the mid-1600s to avoid persecution. One of her nephews, Pierre Harache was a famous silversmith in London. His work is still on display in London.
Pierre Harache was an English goldsmith of French birth. On 21 July 1682 he became the first Huguenot goldsmith to be admitted to the Goldsmiths’ Company in London. His surviving pieces show a simplicity of form with the ornament largely applied or engraved. Confusion often arises between the work of Pierre Harache and that of his son Pierre Harache (ii) (b 1653; fl 1698–1717), as their registered marks are similar.
Pierre Harache II, whose father was the first Hugenot to be admitted into the Goldsmith's Company first appeared in the Denization list on the 29th of September 1698. He came to England with his family in 1682 'to avoid persecution and live quietly'. He became free by redemption on the 24th of October 1698 and on that day entered three marks as a large worker. Heal records him as residing in Compton Street, St Ann's Church. Despite the similarity between the marks of father and son, it is accepted that any work after 1698 belongs to Pierre Harache II due to the father's retirement before his death in 1700.
Harache's work is of the highest standard in both design and execution, showing an elegance and restraint not evident in the work of others at the time. He enjoyed the patronage of the greatest clients of the day and was rivaled only by fellow Huguenot David Willaume.
The Harache Trademark
Pierre Harache the elder, it is believed, to have come from a long line of silver workers in Rouen. Unlike most of his fellow Huguenots, Harache managed to leave France well before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and took with him many of his assets, for on 20 October 1681 he is recorded as being granted customs-free delivery of plate brought by him from France. The mark attributed to Harache appears as early as 1683 on a set of candlesticks made for Lord Spencer but there is uncertainty regarding Harache’s date of death. When the enforced higher silver standard was introduced in 1697, requiring all silver smiths to register new makers’ marks, a Pierre Harache entered a new mark, but it now looks likely that this was Pierre’s son, who was born about 1653, for in the Petworth archives, the same book of accounts records a payment to ‘Mrs Harrache’ for a dish, suggesting that by 1690 Pierre the elder was already dead and his business continued by his widow.
Antoine AUVRAY, Madeleine's father died before 1671 as he was listed as deceased when Madeleine married Nicolas in 1671. Antoine married Marie LENORMAND on 22 Aug 1649 in Rouen St Vivien, Normandie, France.
Marie LENORMAND, Madeleine's mother was born about 1625. Nothing more is known about Marie.
