Ormolu Mounted Glass Opaline Vase With Snake Handles, Attributed to Baccarat

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An exquisite antique French painted opaline glass vase, dating to the 19th century, circa 1880, and attributed to Baccarat. Distinguished … Read more An exquisite antique French painted opaline glass vase, dating to the 19th century, circa 1880, and attributed to Baccarat. Distinguished by detailed pastoral decoration and elaborate ormolu mounts, this cabinet vase combines the intimacy of a miniature painting with the sculptural presence of a grand decorative urn. Its rounded body rises from a rich burgundy pedestal to a gently flaring white neck, framed by striking serpent handles.

The principal scene depicts a lively rural gathering beneath a spreading tree. A young man wearing a red waistcoat and pale blue clothing leans from the branches, extending his hand toward a woman below. She gazes upward while gathering the folds of her rose pink skirt, her pale blouse and blue bodice delicately shaded against the greenery. Nearby, a seated woman dressed in blue and golden yellow turns toward the exchange, accompanied by a small dog. A donkey and additional figures beside a rustic fence complete the countryside composition.

Leafy branches form a canopy above the figures, while distant hills recede into soft lavender and blue beneath a luminous sky. Water crosses the foreground, bordered by earthy banks, grasses, and foliage. Carefully placed accents of red, pink, and yellow enliven the scene, contrasting with the cooler tones of the surrounding landscape.

The painting continues around the body, opening on the reverse into a tranquil view of trees, water, and distant buildings. Broad passages of sky and softly shaded vegetation balance the more intricate figural composition, rewarding examination from every angle. A painted signature within the landscape appears to read “C. Rochette.”

The elaborate ormolu mounts give the vase its distinctive silhouette. Paired scrolling handles are entwined with modeled serpents, their raised heads turning inward toward the rim. Their sinuous bodies follow the curves of the handles, while textured surfaces and curled terminals enrich the sculptural detail. Beneath the scrolls, youthful classical masks with elaborate headdresses and draped ornament anchor the handles to the body. Long decorative straps descend toward the lower collar, emphasizing the vase’s graceful proportions.

An ornamental ormolu collar encircles the shoulder beneath the luminous white neck. The burgundy pedestal foot is embellished with delicate gilt linework and rests within a circular ormolu plinth decorated with molded borders, recessed panels, lion masks, and projecting ornamental feet. The warm gilding provides a rich counterpoint to the softly painted landscape.

The mount design closely relates to larger cut crystal vases catalogued by Christie’s as Baccarat, Paris, circa 1890. Comparable pairs appeared at Christie’s on April 24, 2002, lot 237, and April 15, 2011, lot 661. These examples share the distinctive combination of scrolling serpent handles, figural masks, and elaborate bases with lion masks, offering comparative support for the Baccarat attribution while differing in scale and glass decoration.

A related example of the model is recorded at the Musée de la Cristallerie de Baccarat, Paris, with a published reference in Y. Devaux, L’Univers des bronzes et des fontes ornementales, Paris, 1978, p. 44.

Origin and Date: France, 19th century, circa 1880.

Attribution: Baccarat. Painted signature apparently reading “C. Rochette.”

Dimensions: 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide across the handles.

Condition: Mint condition. See less