Early 19th Century French White Tole Peinte Pierced Chestnut Urns, Set of 2

Details

Description

An outstanding pair of French Empire period tole peinte chestnut urns from the early 19th century, offering a brilliant example … Read more An outstanding pair of French Empire period tole peinte chestnut urns from the early 19th century, offering a brilliant example of the trompe l'oeil technique where painted iron mimics the delicate appearance of 18th-century South Staffordshire enamel. This pair represents an extreme level of exclusivity. While antique painted ironwork is scarce, the market is almost entirely dominated by pieces in dark colours such as black, red, or dark green. Locating a matching pair of this large 25 cm size featuring a flawless white ground is a true museum rarity.

Adorned with hand-painted floral motifs, insects, and an expertly pierced ajoure upper gallery, the vases stand 25 cm high with top diameters of 17 cm and 16.8 cm, weighing 553g and 554g.

Condition: They survive in truly stunning antique condition. The exquisite central painting is fully preserved, and the very minor historical paint wear to the pierced section and base edges, a hairline on the pedestal and finial, and minor interior lid overpainting are completely insignificant to their breathtaking overall display. See less