19th Century, French Belle Époque Bronze & Etched Glass Japonesque Vase

Details

Description

Strikingly theatrical in silhouette and surface, this Belle Époque decorative vase is constructed around a tall, cylindrical crystal body enriched … Read more Strikingly theatrical in silhouette and surface, this Belle Époque decorative vase is constructed around a tall, cylindrical crystal body enriched with multiple zones of decoration, including a crisply cut Greek-key border beneath the rim, wide satin-etched bands, and an expansive central register of wheel-engraved floral garlands and scrolling arabesques that read as a continuous lacework frieze when viewed in the round. The glass is seated into an elaborate gilt-bronze (ormolu) armature conceived with bamboo-form uprights and rails, with moving "handles". Below, the mount resolves into a pierced, rocaille-inflected base with scrolling reserves and small bracket feet, giving the piece the presence of a salon centerpiece while keeping the vessel visually weightless above its gilded cradle. The combination of neoclassical border motifs, luxuriant engraving, and naturalistic insect mounts places the object comfortably within late 19th- to early 20th-century French taste, where refined crystal work and sculptural ormolu were paired to create objects intended for display as much as for use, whether as a flower vase, an interior garniture element, or a table ornament in a formal room.

The base has unidentified markings to the feet.

Measurements: **17.125" h x 9.25" w x 7" d See less