Georgian Silver Chocolate Pot by John Scofield
$6,500.00
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Chocolate Pot
John Scofield
Hallmarked London, 1771
This neoclassical silver chocolate pot, likely crafted by the renowned London silversmith John Scofield, exemplifies the elegance of the period. Chocolate was a luxury good, imported to England at great cost. Those wealthy enough to afford it began to incorporate chocolate drinks into their breakfast in fine silver pots. The pot showcases an oval crest with a dove below an Earl's coronet, framed by crossed branches and a delicate festoon of coffee flowers. This prestigious crest connects this silver to English nobility, meaning its quality is exceptional. The pot features subtle gadrooning on the domed cover and foot, with an acanthus leaf motif supporting the spout and a fine wooden handle. Most notable is the removable finial, shaped like a pineapple, which allowed for the insertion of a molinet, a swizzle stick used to froth thick chocolate before serving and keep the beverage from separating.
John Scofield (sometimes spelled Schofield) is a distinguished but enigmatic figure in the history of London silversmithing. Little is known about his early life, and no records of his apprenticeship have been discovered. His partnership with Robert Jones, which began in 1776, is well-documented, but this pot predates that collaboration. The mark on this item points to an unregistered period of Scofield's early work, making this a rare and valuable example of his skill. This coffee pot was also once part of the iconic Red McCombs Collection, which has been highly publicized and studied.
10 7/8" high x 8" wide x 4 1/2" deep
Provenance:
MSR, New Orleans
Red McCombs Collection, Texas
MSR, New Orleans
Georgian Silver Chocolate Pot by John Scofield
$6,500.00
John Scofield
Hallmarked London, 1771
This neoclassical silver chocolate pot, likely crafted by the renowned London silversmith John Scofield, exemplifies the elegance of the period. Chocolate was a luxury good, imported to England at great cost. Those wealthy enough to afford it began to incorporate chocolate drinks into their breakfast in fine silver pots. The pot showcases an oval crest with a dove below an Earl's coronet, framed by crossed branches and a delicate festoon of coffee flowers. This prestigious crest connects this silver to English nobility, meaning its quality is exceptional. The pot features subtle gadrooning on the domed cover and foot, with an acanthus leaf motif supporting the spout and a fine wooden handle. Most notable is the removable finial, shaped like a pineapple, which allowed for the insertion of a molinet, a swizzle stick used to froth thick chocolate before serving and keep the beverage from separating.
John Scofield (sometimes spelled Schofield) is a distinguished but enigmatic figure in the history of London silversmithing. Little is known about his early life, and no records of his apprenticeship have been discovered. His partnership with Robert Jones, which began in 1776, is well-documented, but this pot predates that collaboration. The mark on this item points to an unregistered period of Scofield's early work, making this a rare and valuable example of his skill. This coffee pot was also once part of the iconic Red McCombs Collection, which has been highly publicized and studied.
10 7/8" high x 8" wide x 4 1/2" deep
Provenance:
MSR, New Orleans
Red McCombs Collection, Texas
MSR, New Orleans