Christie’s to Sell $6.8 Million Coffee Pot

A true silversmithing masterpiece, this beautiful Rococo coffee pot will be offered for auction this summer by Christie’s. The sale will take place on July 4, when the pot is expected to fetch as much as £4.5 million (approx. $6.8 million).

Crafted in 1783 by an exceptionally talented silversmith of his time, Paul de Lamerie, the pot was commissioned by Sir John Lequesne, a successful businessman who came to Britain as a refugee. The 34 oz.fluted pot with three beautifully crafted legs is a little over ten inches in height. It recently was on display at the New York Metropolitan Museum as centerpiece of the British Silver exhibition.

The exquisite coffee pot boasts intricate decorations all over. It amazes with its flawless execution, being adorned with cherub figures holding branches of bushes, foliage and shells, as well as a lion’s mask. The handle is made of carved wood.