A GEORGE III SILVER TEAPOT STAND by John Younge & Sons, Sheffield 1791, of fluted oval form with a pierced gallery and splayed feet, engraved with a crest and script initials. 16.7cm by 10.5cm, 5 troy ounces The marks are a little rubbed but legible. There is some old solder visible to the base beneath the pierced work. The stand sits well and does not rock.

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.