Pair Of Green Marble And Gilt-bronze Cassolette Candlesticks, 19th Century

Pair of Green Marble and Gilt-Bronze Cassolette Candlesticks, 19th Century

A fine and imposing pair of covered cassolettes crafted from richly veined green marble and finely chased gilt bronze, in the Louis XVI style.

Each cassolette features a deeply fluted ovoid body raised on a gilt-bronze socle and a moulded square base of matching green marble.

The baluster-shaped upper section is lavishly mounted with gilt-bronze ornamentation comprising laurel and vine garlands, pierced foliate friezes, twisted-rope borders, pendant motifs and acanthus leaves. The scrolling side handles are centred by finely cast female masks crowned with vine leaves and grapes.

Each domed marble cover is embellished with gilt-bronze acanthus leaves and surmounted by a seed-shaped finial. The removable covers reveal candle sockets, allowing the cassolettes to be used as decorative candlesticks.

The richness of the gilt-bronze mounts, the elegant proportions and the striking contrast between the gilding and the dark green marble reflect the 19th-century taste for luxurious objects inspired by 18th-century French decorative arts.

French work in the Louis XVI style, second half of the 19th century, circa 1870–1880.

The finely chased bronze mounts retain their superb original mercury gilding, remarkable for its freshness and exceptional state of preservation.

In excellent condition.

Dimensions: H. 54 cm (21.26 in.) × D. 24 cm (9.45 in.)