19th C French Ormolu, Onyx Champleve Enamel Bud Vase with Applied Bee

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French Champlevé Enamel, Onyx & Ormolu Bud Vase with Applied Bee, Circa 1880

A rare and exquisitely detailed French champlevé … Read more French Champlevé Enamel, Onyx & Ormolu Bud Vase with Applied Bee, Circa 1880

A rare and exquisitely detailed French champlevé enamel bud vase, dating to the late 19th century and influenced by the Aesthetic Movement's embrace of nature and exotic materials. Standing 5.75 inches high with a diameter of 2.5 inches, the vase combines richly colored champlevé enamel, carved onyx, and finely cast ormolu.

The cylindrical neck is adorned with vibrant champlevé enamel in cobalt, turquoise, ruby, and soft pastel tones arranged in diagonal bands with foliate motifs—classic of Belle Époque decorative arts. Below, a spherical banded onyx body lends natural variation and translucency, encased in gilt bronze. Most distinctive is the applied cast bronze bee, a motif beloved in both Napoleonic iconography and the Aesthetic taste for symbolic fauna.

Set atop an ornate gilt bronze base with paw feet and acanthus flourishes, the vase embodies the fusion of luxury materials and whimsical naturalism characteristic of French design in the late 1800s.

Perfect for display on a mantel, desk, or vanity—whether as a bud vase or sculptural object.

Dimensions: 5.75" H x 2.5" Diameter See less