Decorated with scaled-down versions of paintings by one of the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, Flemish painter Jacob van Loo, the imperial heritage has decorated the home of a German princely family for the past 160 years.

According to art historians, the fragile porcelain pieces managed to stand the test of time in perfect condition.

The Great Silver Wine Cistern of Thomas Wentworth

Among other Sotheby’s masterpieces, some 21 lots were one-off pieces – from furniture to snuff boxes – associated with the names of Queen Marie Antoinette, the Dukes of Devonshire, the Rothschild family, the Princes Carafa of Roccella, the Duke of Urbino, the Medici family and the Earls of Macclesfield, Strafford and Dartmouth.

Sotheby’s Deputy Chairman Europe, Mario Tavella, explained that the idea behind London’s “Treasures Aristocratic Heirlooms” sale was a quest for knowledge: “Someone asked me once: what makes something a treasure? I thought about it…. In my world, the world of objects, a treasure would be something which is not only beautiful, precious, rare and hidden, but which also tells a captivating story…”

The most expensive item featured at the auction turned out to be The Great Silver Wine Cistern of Thomas Wentworth, Ambassador Extraordinary to Berlin. Weighing 80 kilos, the giant cistern was sold for over $3,780,000.