the chocolatière with untraced maker's mark (I.C below a crown), marks of 'Maison Commune' Paris (1771/72) and a further very rubbed and indecipherable mark, of simple baluster form with offset wooden pinned handle, the hinged, slightly domed and flat topped cover with later 'Minerva head 2nd standard mark' and bignore strike (post 1838) for 800/1000 standard silver in addition to earlier and very rubbed marks, the pivoting upper cover topped with a pineapple finial, raised on three hoof feet with scroll edged oval cartouche terminals, monogrammed to the underside, overall height 20cm; the hot water jug with mark of master silversmith René Pierre Ferrier, Paris (from 1775), mark of charge Paris (1783-1789), mark of 'Maison Commune' Paris, (1784), with non-matching offset wooden threaded handle, remains of a monogram to the body below the handle, the hinged cover with compressed finial, 34.4ozt gross (2) Provenance: Julians Park, Hertfordshire