Pair Of Bronze Cassolette Vases, Louis Philippe

A rare and elegant pair of ceremonial vases in patinated black bronze and finely gilt bronze, characteristic of French decorative production during the reign of Louis-Philippe.
The vases have a baluster shape with a flared neck, resting on a circular pedestal and a quadrangular base.
The decoration, executed with great finesse, combines friezes of water leaves, gadroons, and beaded moldings. The foliate side handles, rendered in high relief, attest to the bronzer's meticulous work.
The cylindrical stems are embellished with applied gilt bronze mounts: a female mascaron of antique inspiration on one, and a musical motif with a lyre on the other, providing a refined iconographic variation while maintaining perfect compositional unity. The quality of the gilding, likely mercury-gilded, and the depth of the black patina give the piece a decorative presence and great elegance, typical of ornamental objects intended for bourgeois and aristocratic interiors of the first half of the 19th century.
In very good condition. Gilding well preserved, minimal wear consistent with age.
Period: Louis-Philippe. Circa: 1840.
Material: Patinated bronze and gilt bronze.
Dimensions: H: 26.5 cm W: 11 cm