Iconic Chowder Pot III lobster up for auction

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Has the Chowder Pot III’s closing left a giant, lobster-sized hole in your heart? You now have the chance to fill it with the restaurant’s iconic scarlet sculpture.

The Branford restaurant’s infamous lobster is now up for auction by Adams Auctioneers, with the current bid at $2,500. Dozens of bids have been placed.

The sculpture is described simply as, “Gigantic lobster in a basket.” The piece of art is 12 feet wide, seven feet deep and 8.5 feet tall. The basket is included. Butter is not.

Want to bring it home? You’ll need some serious manpower. A fork lift was required to get it off the Chowder Pot III’s roof, according to the auction company.

The sculpture, however, is in need of some TLC after surviving an attempted kidnapping.

“Foolishly, a thief attempted to physically lift and steal the lobster after these photos were taken,” the auction post reads. “They broke an antenna, eye, and cracked the claw. Fiberglass repair is possible and needed.”

The Chowder Pot III in Branford closed in march after 38 years in business. The Chowder Pot in Hartford shut down in 2023.

The auction ends next week.

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