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This is a beautiful antique pair of French figured Carrara marble and gilded bronze urns in the Louis XV manner, circa 1870.
The urns feature gilt bronze gadrooned covers with acorn finials on pierced reeded necks. The pair of swan handles have draping coronets of ribbon, foliage and blooming flowers to the tapering ovoid shaped body.
The twisted scalloped ormolu stem terminates with a civic wreath and they are raised on square plinth base with acanthus clasps.
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 having been beautifully cleaned in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 51 x Width 22 x Depth 22 & Weight 29 troy oz
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 8 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 9 inches & Weight 0.90 kg
Our reference: 07513
Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse.
Ormolu -Gilded Bronze (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).
Carrara marble - is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It is quarried at the city of Carrara in the province of Massa-Carrara (Tuscany, Italy).
Carrara marble has been used since the time of Ancient Rome; the Pantheon and Trajan's Column in Rome are constructed of it. Many sculptures of the Renaissance, such as Michelangelo's David, were carved from Carrara marble. For Michelangelo at least, Carrara marble was valued above all other stone, except perhaps that of his own quarry in Pietrasanta. The Marble Arch in London and the Duomo di Siena are also made from this stone, as are the interiors of Manila Cathedral, the cold-white marbles of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the campus of Harvard Medical School.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 51 x Width 22 x Depth 22 & Weight 29 troy oz
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 8 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 9 inches & Weight 0.90 kg
Shipping:
We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge.
A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase.
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Delivery and return policy:
We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply.
In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item.
The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition.
Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses.
Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the European Union.
