AN EARLY GEORGE III SILVER COFFEE POT by John Swift, London 1763, of baluster form with gadrooned borders, the scroll-form spout opposed by a scroll handle pinned into sockets, the hinged cover with a reeded urn finial, raised on a stepped circular foot, engraved with a crest framed by scrolling foliage. 25cm high, 28 troy ounces gross The marks are clear and well-struck. The handle is firm in the sockets. The hinged cover opens and closes well. There is some minor surface wear but generally in very good condition.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.