Exceptional early 18th century silver teapot. - Lot 111

Exceptional early 18th century silver teapot. A flat-bottomed model with a panelled, baluster body featuring pinched ribs and radiating gadroons on the lower part over an amati background. Upper part with chased decoration of lambrequins with suspended fleurons and pompons. Lid with gadroon moldings echoing the base, topped by a spinning top-shaped handle. Dragon-head spout in cast silver. Ebony handle carved with an acanthus leaf. Hallmarks for GAND 1722-26. French "ET" hallmark, applied when imported in the 19th century. Marked by the prestigious master goldsmith Pieter COLLE. Height: 21.8 cm. Gross weight: 850.4 grams. Piece subjected to laboratory tests to analyze the composition of the silver alloy. The report shows that, compared with 18th-century refining techniques, the gold content is consistent with 18th-century pieces, and that there are no anachronisms with regard to the techniques and materials of the period. Report available on request. Reference: the smaller model (637gr) of this teapot sold at Sothebys on November 9, 2009 under Lot 228 for over 34,000 euros. Model reproduced in Terence de BAUDUIN, COLMAN and GOETHALS: "L'Orfèvrerie en Belgique", page 131, reference 71. The arrival of tea in the 17th century led silversmiths to develop pieces designed to serve this beverage. These teapots from the early 18th century are certainly the most beautiful. The exotic decorative elements evoke tea, in particular the carved "Nubian head" handles to evoke the slaves used to maneuver merchant ships. The spouts depict a dragon, an allusion to China or Asia, where these famous leaves originated. The body of our pourer is made from a single piece, hammered and chased. The pouring spout, meanwhile, is made from a single casting (and 2, to judge by the laboratory analysis), explaining the variation in silver content. In addition, we know that silversmiths in Ghent used shapers to make these castings, which explains the variations on the same spout model in teapots from this period (cf: coquemar of Ghent 1722-26 by Jean-Baptiste WILLAYES, David WEILL collection, and small teapot model by Pieter Colle or the teapot of Ghent 1730-32 by Jacobus Bruno Van HOOREBEKE).