Rare Huge Early Antique 1800s French Copper Pot Hand Hammered Dovetail Seam

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Rare Huge Early Antique 1800s French Copper Pot Hand Hammered Dovetail Seam:
$3600.00

For sale is an amazing large Antique French Copper Stock Pot with dovetail joint/cramp seams running the length of one side as well as around the base, This fantastic, hand-hammered, early Antique French Copper Pot boasts hand-cut cramp seaming and a wonderful, rich patina. The dovetail/cramp joint cuts are irregular, large, and widely spaced, characteristic of 1700s construction (as simple straight seams did not begin to replace dovetail/cramp construction until the 1800s). This gorgeous one-of-a-kind pot measures approximately 13" tall by 13½“ wide from handle to handle with an 11¾” to 12½“ diameter mouth opening. The handcrafted nature of the piece results in the opening not being completely round. There is a copper loop affixed to either side of the pot with copper rivets made to hold a metal hoop handle, however, one of the hoops is missing. The piece is in lovely Antique condition with the expected wear for its age including a beautiful patina and small indentations, marks, and scratches. Please examine all photographs carefully prior to purchase. The pot will be professionally packed and shipped.

About Cramp Seam in Antique Pots:

A dovetail seam, or more correctly, a cramp seam, is the zig-zag brassy-yellow line running around the base and/or up the sides of an Antique copper pot. The line marks where the coppersmith joined pieces of copper together to form the pot,something like how a dressmaker sews pieces of cloth together to make a dress. Like a good tailor, a skilled coppersmith makes nice flat seams that are tight and strong, but these are seams that can survive for centuries. In a cramp seam, the notches or crenellations (similar to the top of a medieval castle wall) are cut into one piece of copper and slide over the edge of the other piece along the entire length of the seam. The two pieces are first pounded or cramped together until they fuse into a single layer. The blacksmith then lets molten brass flow into the crevices along the seam to seal it, a process called brazing. Brass and copper readily bond to each other, so the brass filler serves to strengthen the join across the layers of copper. A well-executed brazed cramp seam with copper and brassprovided a strong, solid, long-lasting joint. (From Vintage French Copper "For the Love of It”)