Pair of bronze vases, circa 1840.

Rare and elegant pair of ornamental vases in black-patinated bronze and finely gilded bronze, characteristic of French decorative production under the reign of Louis-Philippe.
The vases feature a baluster form with flared necks, resting on circular socles and square bases. The decoration, of great finesse in the chasing, combines water-leaf friezes, gadroons, and beaded moldings. The leafy side handles, treated in high relief, attest to the careful work of a skilled bronzier.
The cylindrical bodies are enriched with applied gilt-bronze mounts: an antique-inspired female mascaron on one vase, and a musical lyre motif on the other, providing refined iconographic variation while maintaining perfect compositional unity.
The quality of the gilding, likely mercury gilding, and the depth of the black patina lend the ensemble a strong decorative presence and great elegance, typical of ornamental objects intended for bourgeois and aristocratic interiors of the first half of the 19th century.
Very fine state of preservation. Gilding well preserved, with minimal wear consistent with age.

Period: Louis-Philippe
Circa: 1840
Material: patinated bronze and gilt bronze
Origin: France
Dimensions: H: 26.5 cm W: 11 cm