Silver George III teapot
Wooden handle and lid knob. Flat lid. Approximately 3” tall by 8” long. Detailed engraving but heavily tarnished. Was given to my grandparents by a well known antiques dealer from up state NY in the 1960s. He conveyed to them that it was quite a valuable piece.
Given to my grand parents in the 1960s by a friend who was a well known antique dealer in the Ithaca NY area.
Inherited
Yes
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
It is a beautiful English teapot. Such antique teapots are being offered at auction on a regular basis.
From the photos it appears to be made of silverplated material and not silver. I cannot see any silvermarks on the teapot from the photo. On English silver the marks would usually be on the upper side of the item - on a teapot close to the handle just below the lid/top rim, however it does not look as if there are any marks on the teapot. The lid looks quite worn and shines red where the silverplating has been rubbed off. The shape is typical of English teapots from the first part of the 1900s or even the last part of the 1800s. It is a very popular shape that never seems to go out of fashion. In England a lot of silverplated household items were made. Unfortunately the prices are not as high on silverplated items as they are on solid silver items. And this is the case with your teapot.
The estimate provided is for a well-advertised specialised online silver auction, where I believe the lovely teapot has the best chance of realising its fullest potential. However, there is no measurement for the sentimental value you might attach to the silverplated teapot. Retail "asking prices" can be higher and vary.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I’m happy to help.
Thank you
Thank you for your comment. Without any marks it is hard to tell the origin for certain. It is a typical English shape, but may also have been popular in America. I believe that 1790-1800 is slightly too early for this type of teapot, however again any marks could be a giveaway about the age and origin.
Kind regards
Would it be wise to polish it with something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006U14Q1W/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_dZS.Db0W1JDHK
I would not recommend re-plating it yourself with the polish you wrote a link for. I am afraid I have no experience in that field other than I have seen quite a few examples of polishing that have gone wrong and where the item has lost value because of it. I would suggest either selling it as it is or having a professional re-plating the teapot.
Happy holidays and kind regards.
We spoke with another appraiser who thought it dated 1790-1800 early Americana and that it was one of the earliest examples of silver plating technology. Any thoughts?