Georgian Old Sheffield Plate Coffee Pot, Circa 1780
Georgian Old Sheffield Plate Coffee Pot, Circa 1780
1377
A refined late 18th-century Old Sheffield Plate coffee pot of elegant oval form, dating to circa 1780. With its finely engraved decoration, warm fruitwood handle, and beautifully balanced Georgian silhouette, this is a handsome and highly functional example of English tableware from the period.
The coffee pot has a gently swelling oval body, its restrained engraved ornament adding a note of delicacy without interrupting the purity of the form. The long, dark fruitwood handle creates a pleasing contrast with the softly reflective plated surface while offering a practical insulated grip. Its graceful spout and hinged cover complete the composed, understated design typical of the best Georgian domestic silver plate.
Old Sheffield Plate was produced by fusing a layer of silver to a copper base, an important innovation that made elegantly fashioned silver-like wares more widely available during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, well-preserved examples are admired for their craftsmanship, warm colour, and historical importance, particularly when they retain strong proportions and original period details.
This coffee pot would have formed part of a formal tea or coffee service, offering a stylish expression of hospitality at the Georgian table. Its combination of practical design and decorative engraving makes it equally appealing for use, display, or as part of a collection of Old Sheffield Plate and early English silver.
A sophisticated addition to a dining table, sideboard, library, or country-house interior, and a fine piece for collectors of Georgian metalware.
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