Pair Of "dolphin" Wall Sconces, Attributed To Gagneau, Gilded Bronze And Crystal, Circa 1900

Pair of three-light wall sconces in chiseled and gilded bronze. Its ornate frame, shaped like a mythological dolphin, from which coral-like branches extend,elegantly accommodates a frosted, press-molded glass shade. Shaped like a ribbed corolla reminiscent of a seashell or alotus flower, this bowl gently diffuses the light.

Biography

The Gagneau firm was founded in Paris in1800 and became famous for its refinement of the Carcel oil lamp,which was presented at the National Industrial Products Exhibition in 1819 andpatented that same year. Initially located at 25 Rue d’Enghien, it later movedto 115 Rue Lafayette. E. Gagneau specialized in all types oflighting fixtures—lamps, chandeliers, wall sconces, floor lamps—whose quality wasrecognized at every international exhibition: he won aFirst Prize at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 as well as aFirst-Class Medal at the Paris Exposition in 1855. Celebrated among his peers,G. Gagneau served on the jury in the artistic bronzes category (Class 25)at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair. In 1908, he supplied allthe lighting fixtures for the new French embassy in Vienna.