A monumental silver wine cooler, weighing 168 pounds (11 ½ stone or 2597 oz.) and measuring well over a meter across, sold for £2,505,250 to an Asian private. Photo: Sotheby's

LONDON.- The most important piece of English silver to come to the market in 50 Years, a monumental silver wine cooler, weighing 168 pounds (11 ½ stone or 2597 oz.) and measuring well over a meter across, sold this evening at Sotheby’s for £2,505,250, establishing a new record price for English silver. The spectacular cistern, as “Large as a Small Bathing-Tub”, sold to a private Asian buyer. It was lot 8 in Sotheby’s sale of “Treasures”, a 21-lot sale which has just concluded, realising an above-estimate total of £13,951,250 / $21,177,998 (the pre-sale estimate was £8,790,000 - £13,430,000).

Mario Tavella, Sotheby’s Deputy Chairman Europe and the specialist in charge of the sale said: “Today’s very successful results represent a fantastic achievement in the field of decorative arts. These extraordinarily rare Treasures with highly desirable aristocratic provenance sparked competition from private collectors and institutional buyers alike as well as the trade and there was bidding and buying from Europe, the United States, Russia, Asia and the Middle East.”

Many remarkable prices were achieved in this evening’s sale. Most notably:

• An Italian Engraved Ivory Inlaid Rosewood Centre Table, made for the Duke of Urbino Francesco Maria II Della Rovere (1549-1631), c 1596-7, and subsequently part of the collection of the Medici family, sold for £937,250. Known, but previously misunderstood, the same table sold for £6,000 at auction in 1989. Its Medici provenance, recently revealed thanks to the discovery of contemporary documents, was no doubt behind the strong competition generated in the salesroom this evening.

Italian Engraved Ivory Inlaid Rosewood Centre Table made for the Duke of Urbino Francesco Maria II Della Rovere (1549-1631), c 1596-7, and subsequently part of the collection of the Medici family. Est: £500,000-1,000,000. Sold for £937,250 to a private collector. Photo: Sotheby's

• An amber casket bearing the arms of Prince William IV of Orange and Anne, Princess Royal of Great Britain, North German, Probably made in Danzig, 1734, realised £657,250 – well beyond its pre-sale estimate of £200,000-300,000. This extraordinarily rare and beautifully crafted box was probably made to celebrate the union of Prince William IV of Orange and Anne, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain. They married at St James’ Palace in 1734, further reaffirming the strong ties between Great Britain and the Netherlands.

North German, probably Danzig, circa 1734, An Armorial Casket with four interior boxes bearing the arms of Prince William IV of Orange and Anne, Princess Royal of Great Britain. casket: 15.8 by 30.2 by 20.5cm., 6¼ by 11 7/8 by 8in. counter boxes: 6 by 12.2 by 8cm., 2 3/8 by 4¾ by 3 1/8 in. Sold for £657,250 to an anonymous. Photo: Sotheby's

• A Magnificent Pair of Imperial Porcelain Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St Petersburg, Period of Nicholas I (1825-1855), dated 1842, sold for £1,945,250 (est: £1.4 – 1.8 million)

Magnificent Pair of Imperial Porcelain Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St Petersburg, Period of Nicholas I (1825-1855), dated 1842, height: 149cm, 4ft 10in. Sold for £1,945,250 (est: £1.4 – 1.8 million) to an anonymous. Photo: Sotheby's.

• A set of three ivory painted and parcel-gilt Royal Pliants by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Séné (1748-1803) made for Queen Marie Antoinette’s Salon des Jeux at the Châteaux of Compiègne and Fontainebleau, Louis XVI, circa 1786-87, commanded £541,250 against an estimate of £150,000-250,000.

A set of three ivory painted and parcel-gilt Royal pliants by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené (1748-1803) made for Queen Marie Antoinette's Salon des Jeux at the Château of Compiègne, one with the Château mark of Compiègne, two with the marque au fer of the Palais de Tuileries. Louis XVI, circa 1786-87, together with a later 19th century copy; each 50cm. high, 65cm. wide, 50cm. deep; one 60cm. wide;1ft. 7 ¾in., 2ft. 1 ½in., Sold for £541,250 to an anonymous. Photo: Sotheby's.

• Two pairs of Italian gilt-bronze-mounted brèche violette marble topped kingwood, tulipwood and parquetry commodes, in the Régence manner, Neapolitan, second quarter 18th century; larger pair : one 95cm. high, 131cm. wide, 66cm. deep; the other: 94cm. high, 131cm. wide, 66cm. deep; 3ft.1in., 4ft.3in., 2ft.1½in., 3ft.½in., 4ft.3in., 2ft.1½in.; smaller pair each: 89cm. high, 91cm. wide, 48cm. deep; 2ft.10½in., 2ft.11in., 1ft.6¼in. Sold £1,609,250 against an estimate of  £1,400,000/£1,800,000.

Two pairs of Italian gilt-bronze-mounted brèche violette marble topped kingwood, tulipwood and parquetry commodes, in the Régence manner, Neapolitan, second quarter 18th century. Sold £1,609,250 to a private collector. Photo: Sotheby's.

• A pair of Italian gilt-bronze-mounted marble busts of blackamoors, Venetian, 18th century, on gilt-bronze-mounted brass and tortoiseshell inlaid première-and contre-partie boulle marquetry ebony veneered pedestals stamped N. P. Severin, Régence, circa 1715, 18th century; busts: one 96cm high, 66cm wide, the other 93cm high, 66cm wide; each pedestal: 131cm high, 52cm wide, one 34.5cm deep, the other 33.5cm deep; 3ft.1½in., 2ft.1½in., 3ft.½in., 2ft.1½in., 4ft..3in., 1ft.8in., 1ft.1in., 1ft.¾in. Sold £993,250 against an estimate of  £250,000/£500,000.

A pair of Italian gilt-bronze-mounted marble busts of blackamoors, Venetian, 18th century, on gilt-bronze-mounted brass and tortoiseshell inlaid première-and contre-partie boulle marquetry ebony veneered pedestals stamped N. P. Severin, Régence, circa 1715, 18th century. Sold £993,250 to an anonymous. photo Sotheby's. 

• A gilt-bronze-mounted brass and tortoiseshell inlaid contre-partie boulle marquetry and ebony veneered secrétaire à abattant by Etienne Levasseur, the lower section by André-Charles Boulle, Louis XIV, circa 1710, transformed circa 1770-75 by Etienne Levasseur; 139cm high, 137.5cm wide, 54cm deep;4ft. 6¾in., 4ft. 6in., 1ft. 9¼in. Sold £881,250 against an estimate of  £600,000/£1,000,000.

A gilt-bronze-mounted brass and tortoiseshell inlaid contre-partie boulle marquetry and ebony veneered secrétaire à abattant by Etienne Levasseur, the lower section by André-Charles Boulle, Louis XIV, circa 1710, transformed circa 1770-75 by Etienne Levasseur. Sold £881,250 to a private collector. photo Sotheby's.

• 'Le panier de pensées'. A gold and pietra dura snuff box, Johann Christian Neuber, Dresden, circa 1770-1775; width 9cm ; 3 1/2 in, in 19th century leather case. Sold £825,250 against an estimate of  £250,000/£350,000.

'Le panier de pensées'. A gold and pietra dura snuff box, Johann Christian Neuber, Dresden, circa 1770-1775. Sold £825,250 to a London Trade. photo Sotheby's

• An ormolu, gold and agate-mounted musical automaton table clock, probably retailed by James Cox, London, circa 1765; 48cm. 19in. high. Sold £713,250 against an estimate of  £200,000/£300,000.

An ormolu, gold and agate-mounted musical automaton table clock, probably retailed by James Cox, London, circa 1765. Sold £713,250 to an anonymous. photo Sotheby's

Sotheby’s sale of “Treasures”, Aristocratic Heirlooms, was one of 6 sales held at Sotheby’s London today. Together, they made a combined total of £27,488,438 / $41,727,450 Sotheby’s sale of “Treasures”, Aristocratic Heirlooms, was one of 6 sales held at Sotheby’s London today. Together, they made a combined total of £27,488,438 / $41,727,450.