19th Century Grand Tour Bronze Warwick Vase Urn With Lid, C. 1870

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Description

Enhance your mantel, library, or entry console with this striking Neoclassical lidded urn, designed in the spirit of the iconic … Read more Enhance your mantel, library, or entry console with this striking Neoclassical lidded urn, designed in the spirit of the iconic Roman Warwick Vase. A classic fixture of 19th-century Grand Tour style, this piece features heavily detailed high-relief classical Bacchic masks adorning the body, flanked by elegantly entwined vine-form double handles.
The deep, dark patinated bronze-toned finish boasts fantastic structural texture and visual depth. The urn sits atop a columnar stem anchored by a tiered, variegated alabaster/marble square socle base raised on small ornamental feet. Crucially, this beautiful urn retains its rare, original matching bronze lid topped with a decorated finial—a highly desirable feature as these lids are frequently lost over time. This sophisticated accent piece brings an instant layer of historic architectural character and traditional European elegance to modern or classic interiors alike. This gorgeous urn dates from the late 19th to Early 20th Century.
Crucially, this example retains its rare, original matching bronze lid topped with a decorated finial—a highly desirable feature as these lids are frequently lost over time. The bronze vessel is raised on a classical, beautifully veined sienna marble plinth base. This piece dates to circa 1870. A perfect, timeless accent piece for a library desk, study shelf, or fireplace mantel.

History of the Warwick Vase: The original Warwick Vase is a monumental ancient Roman marble monument dating back to the 2nd century AD during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Discovered in pieces in 1771 at the bottom of a lake at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, Italy, it was meticulously restored by antiquarian Gavin Hamilton and subsequently sold to George Greville, the 2nd Earl of Warwick. The Earl housed the massive, intricately carved vessel in a purpose-built greenhouse at Warwick Castle, where it quickly became an international sensation. Celebrated for its dramatic relief carvings of Bacchic masks, satyrs, and intertwined grapevine handles, the vase became an ultimate symbol of classical taste, inspiring 19th-century foundries to create highly sought-after bronze reductions for wealthy aristocrats on their Grand Tour of Europe.

Height: 11 inches (to finial)
Width: 9 inches (handle to handle)
Depth: 7.5 inches See less