Object Description
This is a beautiful antique pair of French marble and gilded bronze urns in the Louis XV manner, circa 1860.
They are made of rouge marble, which has a delightful variegated pattern, and gilded bronze, otherwise known as ormolu.
They are substantial pieces and together weigh 31.8kgs.
The fabulous ormolu mounts comprise bud finials lids, decorative crestings with garlands, and fruiting laurel with beautiful swan neck handles.
The impressive bodies of the urns rest on elegant shaped ormolu bases.
These lovely urns make a statement and will look fantastic flanking a mantel or sideboard. A fabulous antique find of the highest quality and sure to be noticed wherever they are displayed.
Condition:
In excellent condition. As antique items, the pieces show signs of use commensurate with age, these minor condition issues are mentioned for accuracy and, as seen in the accompanying photographs, the urns display beautifully.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 45 x Width 21 x Depth 18 & Weight 31.8 kg
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 6 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 7 inches & Weight 70.1 lbs
Ormolu (from French ‘or moulu’, signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as ‘gilt bronze’.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).
Our reference: 07515
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