l'Escalier De Cristal, Planter, China-france, Circa 1875

China, Daoguang period (1820-1850) (enamel)
France, Circa 1875 (mount)

Height : 41,5 cm ; Width : 50 cm ; Depth : 34 cm

An elegant planter consisting of a polychrome enamel bowl with a patinated and gilded bronze frame. It rests on four volute feet with elephant heads, finished in a black patina accented with gold on the salient parts. The elephants are connected by openwork, gilded Oriental-style lambrequins suspended from a series of friezes featuring pearls, medallions, and heart-shaped motifs. The planter is adorned with an elegant enamel decoration on a blue background, cloisonné in gold, with motifs of flowering branches and butterflies. Two medallions on a black background stand out, ornated with the same iconographic repertoire. The handles take the form of two oriental bronze dragons, patinated and gilded like the elephants forming the feet. The creatures are held to the rim of the planter by their tails.

Europe has a long tradition of casting all manner of objects in bronze, from coconuts to nautiluses and even Chinese porcelain. The bronze artist’s task was to enhance these curiosities and masterpieces from afar. Heirs to this practice, the foundries and bronze artisans of the late 19th century were no exception to the rule: Barbedienne, Maison Marnyhac, and L’Escalier de Cristal were among the firms that devoted themselves to this practice, adapting it to the tastes of the era. As a result, many blue-enameled objects with floral decorations characteristic of 19th-century Chinese production were mounted, such as tea tables, pedestal tables, or planters.

Biography :
L’Escalier de Cristal, Parisian firm created about 1800 by Mme veuve Desarnaud, famous under the French « Restoration » for its decorative objects combining crystal and bronze. She was awarded a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie for an outstanding gilt-bronze mounted crystal dressing table. Located in Paris, at the Palais-Royal, Galerie de Valois, L’Escalier de Cristal was bought out around 1830 by Boin, and then by Lahoche in 1840. The company owed its rise to a position amongst the most important Paris decorative wares shops to Lahoche, who expanded considerably the business and entered later in partnership with his son-in-law to set up in 1852 Lahoche et Pannier. In 1872 Emile Pannier led alone the firm, and then his sons from 1885 to 1923, whom gave the name of Pannier Frères to the company, located at the corner of Scribe and Auber streets, next to the new built Paris Opera house. L’Escalier de Cristal suggesting also since the 1880’s furniture and art bronze pieces, was several times awarded medals at the various International Exhibitions held in Paris, London and New York, and for instance a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Numerous artists, such Emile Gallé, Louis Majorelle and Gabriel Viardot worked for the L’Escalier de Cristal’s woldwide renown, and introduced then some of their greatest Japanese style creations (adorned with « cloisonné » enamels, Japanese motifs,…).