Pair Of Louis XV Vulcan And Venus Andirons Circa 1730 Jacques Caffieri Attr. L. 40 Cm, H. 37 Cm

Important Louis XV Vulcan and Venus andirons, circa 1730, attributed to Jacques Caffieri. Length 40 cm, height 37 cm. These andirons representing Venus and Vulcan were probably inspired by Jacques Caffieri's famous model, an example of which can be found at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle (see H. Ottomeyer/P. Pröschel, Vergöldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. I, plate 113, fig. 2.4.5.). In the journal of the merchant Lazare Duvaux, under no. 2287, there is a reference addressed to Monsieur de Presle: ‘A large gold fire representing Venus and Vulcan’. Another similar pair, acquired in 1725 in Paris by Carl Wilhelm Friedrich, Margrave of Ansbach, is in the Ansbach residence. A very similar pair of andirons was sold anonymously at Christie's London on 9 December 1993, lot 80, and another pair anonymously at Christie's New York on 21 November 1997, lot 135. See: Christie's, New York, 19 October 2006, no. 165 (USD 19,200); another pair (19th century) is currently on offer on 1stDibs for the equivalent of €9,500. Inv. no. 0.748 €2,850