Details
Description
An absolute triumph of 19th-century French fine art casting, this monumental Louis XV style silvered bronze centerpiece (Surtout de Table) …
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An absolute triumph of 19th-century French fine art casting, this monumental Louis XV style silvered bronze centerpiece (Surtout de Table) is a masterwork of palatial proportions. Weighing a substantial 16+ pounds and stretching 23 inches in length, this museum-grade sculptural bowl brings immediate European manor prestige to an elite estate dining room sideboard, entry console table, or grand library mantel.
THE SCULPTURAL DESIGN & MYTHOLOGY
The centerpiece is designed as an elaborate, highly romanticized allegorical maritime narrative. On one side, a beautifully modeled neoclassical cherub sits at the helm of an ornate, rococo-crested boat-shaped bowl adorned with pierced architectural rails and hand-chiseled elongated rose floral garlands. The vessel navigates gracefully toward a magnificent, fully dimensional nesting swan sculpted with intricately layered, lifelike feathers. The entire scene rests upon an architectural rocky base platform deeply cast with dynamic, swirling water wave reliefs and anchored by heavy scrolled acanthus leaf feet.
The rare silvered bronze finish (bronze argenté) exhibits an extraordinary, time-earned soft pewter patina with rich tonal depth. Subtle warm bronze undertones peek through the high-relief hand-chiseled borders, providing the authentic estate character coveted by advanced metalwork collectors.
HAND-CRAFTED PROVENANCE & ASSEMBLY
The underside reveals traditional hollow, heavy sand-cast foundry bronze construction. The separate, complex sculptural components are secured to the main base platform via original heavy iron structural crossbars and period hand-turned square nuts. Notably, each iron crossbar retains matching hand-painted artisan assembly codes ("3"), documenting its custom-fitted, hand-assembled 19th-century French workshop origin.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Length: 23.0 inches
• Width: 8.25 inches
• Height: 10.5 inches
• Weight: Heavy and dense at 16+ lbs.
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- Dimensions
- 23ʺW × 8ʺD × 10ʺH
- Period
- Late 19th Century
- Country of Origin
- France
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Bronze
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Silver
- Condition Notes
- Magnificent antique estate condition. The solid cast bronze body is entirely free of structural fractures, cracks, or modern restorations [image_Lj33na.png]. … moreMagnificent antique estate condition. The solid cast bronze body is entirely free of structural fractures, cracks, or modern restorations [image_Lj33na.png]. All sculptural extensions—including the cherub's arms and the swan's delicate beak—are perfectly whole and secure [image_sIEqQb.png]. The silvered bronze finish exhibits an authentic, time-earned soft pewter patina that beautifully accentuates the deep relief casting shadows. Minor, honest areas of warm bronze show along the high-friction edges, providing a highly desirable antique character. less
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