French Art Deco Ormolu Serpent Handle, Stamped LT / 2, circa 1925–1935

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French Art Deco Ormolu Serpent Handle, Stamped LT / 2, circa 1925–1935

A rare and striking French ormolu serpent handle, … Read more French Art Deco Ormolu Serpent Handle, Stamped LT / 2, circa 1925–1935

A rare and striking French ormolu serpent handle, dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1925–1935. Cast in two parts, the handle is formed as a coiled serpent’s head with body and a separately mounted tail, together creating the illusion of a sinuous snake spanning the surface of a drawer or cabinet. The bronze is richly chased with geometric, scale-like tooling and retains its original fire-gilt ormolu surface, now mellowed to a warm patina.

The serpent head section is stamped LT / 2, almost certainly the mark of the Parisian bronzier or foundry responsible for the mount. While not yet firmly identified, “LT” has been associated with Les Ternes, a Paris workshop supplying luxury hardware to leading decorators, and may also reference a smaller bronzier such as Louis Théodore, who was active in the early 20th century. French decorative bronziers of this era frequently marked hardware components with initials and assembly codes, reflecting the collaborative production networks of the Art Deco ateliers.

The serpent motif carries rich symbolic resonance. In the Napoleonic Empire style, serpents evoked Egyptian revival themes of eternity and wisdom. By the 1920s–30s, the Art Deco movement reinterpreted such imagery with stylized geometry and bold luxury, aligning with the period’s fascination with exotic and archaic forms. As a drawer or door handle, the serpent served as both a practical grip and a protective emblem, “guarding” the contents within.

This example, measuring 7 inches across when assembled (head mount 3.5" wide; tail mount 3.75" wide), would likely have adorned a Parisian cabinet, desk, or monumental sideboard by a decorator such as Jules Leleu, André Arbus, or Maison Jansen, all of whom made use of dramatic ormolu mounts supplied by specialist foundries.

Together measures approximately Snake handle 7"w x 2" d x1" h
Snake head mount 3.5" w x 2" d x 1" h
Snake tail mount 3.75" w x 1" d x .25" h See less