Antique Solid Silver Coffee Pot, Hand Decorated and Contrasted. Early 20th Century

Gorgeous antique sterling-silver coffeepot with a charming design and completely decorated by hand with engraved motives. The coffeepot dates from the early 20th century, and though it is almost one hundred years old it has survived to our days in really good condition. It comes from Indochina, from where it was once imported for the French market. It consists of a plump and ample body with spout and handle, the three of them fully decorated with hand-engraved motives. The base is stylized and bears no decoration at all. The coffeepot shows off a clear oriental-inspired design with reference to the Hindu religion and nature: in fact, the spout and the handle depict an elephants trunk and tail. Both parts boast an extremely delicate hand-engraved decoration that imitates the animals rough skin; in the spout we can also see its eyes and fangs. The coffeepots body bears a charming motive depicting different wild animals in a natural background: an elephant, antelopes, a lion, a bear Over them, the lid is crowned by a figure sitting in the position of the lotus, probably Buddha or other religion-related figure. Surrounding this figure we find again a motive depicting animals in the jungle which repeats the decoration engraved in the body. On the other hand, the base is composed of several superimposed lean silver moldings. Under the base we find the hallmarks that testify for the silvers origin and quality; one of them contains the letters ED. This is a French mark to identify silver objects intended for export, when the silver proportion they contained was not known. Stylized, beautiful and antique, this engraved silver coffeepot will shine in any meal or on a fine sideboard. Measurements: Width: 7.8 in / 20 cm. Height: 5.1 in / 13 cm.