Sterling silver pot from Paris, Louis XVI period, Marquis de Rostaing arms

Baluster-shaped tripod coffee pot in solid silver. The thumb rest lid is underlined with fine fillets and mouldings and topped with a button frétel, the pouring spout is enriched with fluting, an asparagus tip on the shock-absorber. The turned wooden handle with gadroons and fillets has a large circular silver attachment. The three legs have moulded and foliate clasps.
The body is engraved with the coat of arms of the Marquis de Rostaing: "D'azur à la fasce en divise d'or accompagné en pointe d'une roue de huit rais du même", surmounted by a marquis's crown.

Marks (body and frétel) :
- Charge: crowned A.
- Discharge: parrot's head.
- Letter P under royal crown
- Master goldsmith: CN (partially inscribed).

PARIS, 1784-1787.

Height: 17 cm - Diameter: 10 cm - Width: 18 cm.

Gross weight: 304 grammes - net weight: 277 grammes.

Condition report:
Few use marks, a trace of old restoration to the front left foot, the hallmarks partially inscribed but clearly visible. Good condition.


MARQUIS DE ROSTAING

Just-Antoine-Henry-Marie-Germain was Marquis de ROSTAING, Count of La Guierche, Baron of Brou, Lord of Rivas, Villemomble, Craintilleux, Noisy-le-Sec, Veauchette, Saint-Cyprien and Onzain.
He was born on 24 November 1740 at Château de Veauchette, where he died on 30 September 1826. He was a general councillor for the Loire, mayor of Veauchette, deputy to the Estates General of 1789, grand master investigator and general reformer of water and forests, lieutenant-general of the King's armies, marshal of camp and member of the Society of French Cincinnati.

Initially Louis XV's first page, he was commissioned a cavalry lieutenant, campaigned in Germany from 1760 to 1762, became a musketeer and colonel of the Auxerrois Regiment and, in 1778, of the Gâtinais Regiment. In this capacity, he served under the Comte de Rochambeau during the American War and earned the rank of marshal de camp and the Saint-Louis Cross (1783) for his courage at the Battle of Yorktown (28 September-19 October 1781).

Grand bailiff and seneschal of the sword of the country, county and jurisdiction of Forez, he was elected deputy of the new States General on 21 March 1789. A moderate supporter of the new ideas, he was appointed secretary to the Assembly, member and vice-chairman of the military committee and on 24 June 1790 had the uniformity of military pay decreed for all arms.

He was promoted to lieutenant general on 6 February 1792, after which he retired from political life to his estates.

He died at the age of 85 at the Château de Veauchette without descendants.


We would like to thank Mr Mathieu Chaine for his kind contribution to our heraldic work.