French, Seed Merchants, Vilmorin, Paris, Image & Found by Christopher Leach.
Found in a field in Cliffe Woods, Kent, 17mm.
N: 4 / A / PARIS, QUA(I DE LA MÉGI)SSBIE + around // & CIE, VILMORIN AN... around
Identified by Philippe Lanez, BOUTIQUE HISTORIQUE VILMORIN, "The story of Vilmorin is dense and exceptional - For more than two centuries, personalities of great value have left an indelible mark in the world of agriculture and horticulture, to make it the most famous brand in France.
1743: the beginning of a long dynasty. That year, Claude Geoffroy is received Mistress Grainière. She runs a shop in Paris, Quai de la Mégisserie, under the sign of Coq de la Bonne Foy. From his marriage in 1745 with Pierre d'Andrieux, botanist of King Louis XV, was born a girl, Adelaide, who in 1774 married Philippe-Victoire de-Vilmorin.
In 1775, the house takes the name of Vilmorin-Andrieux, name it will keep until 1986.
Today, nearly 273 years later, the Vilmorin store is still in the same place, with the same desire to perpetuate the spirit of service and passion of the garden in the heart of Paris."
