1774 Louis XVI Silver Soup Tureen
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APPRAISER:
I understand that you got this tureen from your great-aunt, was it?
GUEST:
Yes I did, she... it was in her estate and I was lucky enough to get it.
APPRAISER:
And where do you think she got the tureen?
GUEST:
I think she must have gotten it from her parents, my great-grandparents who traveled a great deal.
APPRAISER:
Ah, well, that would make sense because I have to say, I was stunned to see a French 18th-century soup tureen here in Boston. French 18th-century silver is extremely rare. This one was made in 1774 in Paris. And most French silver that was made before the French Revolution was melted down, some of it to finance wars and some if it in the throes of the revolution. So even in... if we were in Paris today, I would be equally surprised to see a piece of 18th-century silver. It's beautiful, as you well know. What interests me about it is this typical decoration on the cover. All of these vegetables here were cast from life. You see a parsnip, a wonderful open pea pod with the peas inside-- it's superb-- and an artichoke, even a little sort of pickle. These French tureens practically give you the recipe for the kind of soups that would have been contained. Do you use it for soup?
GUEST:
I've never used it for soup.
APPRAISER:
Oh, shame. Well, now you know how to make the recipe. At any rate, it is extremely beautiful and very, very rare. I notice here-- this is interesting-- you've had an old appraisal, uh... at $2,700.
GUEST:
Right. That, I assume, was the estate appraisal from my great-aunt's estate.
APPRAISER:
Well, it must have been awhile ago because any 18th-century French soup tureen with this sculptural cover of such rarity and beauty is going to sell today at auction for at least $30,000.
GUEST:
Really?
APPRAISER:
Yes, I think you should tear this up. (laughs) And I would raise... I'd call your insurance company, because it's an incredible treasure.
GUEST:
That's amazing. Well, I've always loved having it, so now I'll...
APPRAISER:
You going to make soup in it now?
GUEST:
I don't know. I don't think for that amount of money I should be using it for soup.
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