Louis XV Style Silver Jardinière 2.3 Kg

Provenance

This large silver jardinière is of particular interest due to the engraved inscriptions on its body, which record a sequence of names accompanied by dates ranging from 1886 to 1911. Several of these names are preceded by “S.S.”, a common abbreviation for steamships. The inscriptions therefore appear very likely to refer to vessels, suggesting that the piece was created as a commemorative object connected with a maritime career, a sequence of voyages, or service aboard different ships. Visible names include Brabant, Hainaut, La Flandre, La Campine, La Hesbaye, Apscheron, Oural, Erivan, American, Chester, Derbent and Kasbek. This engraved record gives the jardinière a distinctive historical and personal character, beyond its purely decorative function.

Description

The jardinière is designed in a richly ornamental Louis XV style, with a Rococo-inspired wide oval body, a shaped and undulating outline, and a highly decorative openwork composition. The body is decorated with shaped reserves, engraved cartouches, scrolling foliage, floral motifs and applied rocaille elements. The large lateral handles are particularly sculptural, formed with open volutes, acanthus leaves, flowers and asymmetrical curves typical of the Louis XV decorative vocabulary. The lower border is similarly animated, with a shaped apron and finely worked feet that give the piece a strong and elegant stance. The edges remain crisp, the reliefs are well defined, and the jardinière presents beautifully in person, with a strong decorative presence. Net silver weight: 2,293 g. The inner liner is not solid silver; it is silver-plated.

Technique and materials

Silver .800, repoussé, chased, engraved and partially openworked. The decoration combines sculptural relief, applied ornament, engraved details and a refined Louis XV Rococo composition. The quality of execution is visible in the sharpness of the outlines, the depth of the chasing, the modelling of the floral decoration and the overall balance of the form.

Dating

Late 19th to early 20th century, consistent with the historicist taste for the Louis XV style and with the engraved dates covering the period from 1886 to 1911. The piece belongs to the European tradition of large decorative silver objects inspired by 18th-century French forms and intended for formal interiors.

Condition

Good overall condition, with signs of age and use, light surface marks and normal oxidation consistent with an antique silver object. The interior shows more visible traces of use, in keeping with its function. The jardinière retains its silver-plated inner liner, which is not made of solid silver.

Function and display

This jardinière may be used as a table centrepiece, display object or decorative silver piece in a classical or eclectic interior. Its large scale, rich Louis XV style decoration and engraved maritime history make it both a refined decorative object and a piece with notable historical interest.

Dimensions

height – 17 cm
width – 52 cm
depth – 34 cm