Antique Pair Sevres Porcelain Mounted Ormolu Candlesticks C.1870 19th C
London, United Kingdom
£1,350 per set of 2
0 people watching this item
0 people have this item in their cart
Shopping at Vinterior
- 14 days return guarantee
- Outstanding customer service
- Secure payment
- Service fee
- Trees planted for every purchase
for your next pre-owned find?
Item details
Height
21.0 cm
Width
9.0 cm
Depth
9.0 cm
Wear conditions
Excellent
Wear conditions
Excellent
Shows little to no signs of wear and tear.
Good
May show slight traces of use in keeping with age. Most vintage and antique items fit into this condition.
Average
Likely to show signs of some light scratching and ageing but still remains in a fair condition.
Apparent Wear and Tear
Visible signs of previous use including scratches, chips or stains.
Please refer to condition report, images or make a seller enquiry for additional information.
Description
This is a delightful antique pair of 19th century French Sevres porcelain mounted ormolu candlesticks, C1870 in date.
The square bases and plain column stems with tulip sconces decorated with romantic classical landscape panels on a blue scale grounds
There is no mistaking their unique quality and design, which is sure to be cherished by any admirer of ornamental porcelain.
Condition:
In excellent undamaged and unrestored condition with no chips, cracks or signs of repair, please see photos for confirmation of condition.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 21 x Width 9 x Depth 9
Dimensions in inches:
Height 8 inches x Width 3 inches x Depth 3 inches
Ormolu
(from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).
Sevres Porcelain
traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738.
French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumoured relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles.
From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden. Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colours and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid. Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed.
The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced. In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works. King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Porcelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest.
Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic.
About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges. For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class.
Cancellations
We offer free cancellations and full refund for orders cancelled before dispatching. View full policy.
Returns
We have a 14 days returns guarantee for orders within the UK and European Union. View full policy.
Free UK Mainland delivery.
Estimated delivery time
Less than one week
Free collection available
Yes
Similar Candlesticks
Similar Candlesticks
Choose a Wish List
Create Wish List
- Selling at Vinterior since 2016
- 246 sales
- Ships from London, United Kingdom
Seller Reviews
Cancellations and Returns
Our Terms of sale were designed to treat both Customers and Vendors (including Professional Vendors and Non-Professional Vendors (as defined in the Site Terms)) fairly, in order to make the shopping/selling experience with Vinterior just as exceptional as the items.
We've extended our usual return period for the holidays. Any purchases made in December 2023 on gifting items can be returned up until 31 January 2024.
To protect our Customers from disappointment or the unexpected, we strongly encourage them to closely inspect item photos, descriptions, and details before purchasing anything on the Site, and then again upon delivery or pickup.
If the Customer is unsure about an item's condition, dimensions, quantity, or description, they can send their questions to the item’s Vendor by clicking on Ask the seller on the listing page of the Site.
Customers shall receive the same level of consumer protection on purchases irrespective of whether they are buying from a Professional Vendor or Non-Professional Vendor.
Should you have any questions regarding your transaction, please contact the Vendor in the first instance.
Can I cancel an order?
If a Customer changes their mind or decides for any other reason that they do not want to purchase the Goods before the Goods have been dispatched, they can cancel the order on the Site and receive a refund.
The right to cancel does not apply to the following types of Goods, which are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to the customer’s specific requirements. If in doubt, the Customer can contact the Vendor via the Site.
If the Customer cancels an order after an item has already been marked as dispatched for delivery, the costs of delivery are non-refundable.
To cancel the order, the Customer must follow the cancellation procedure on the Site by clicking on Create Cancellation on the order page.
Can I return an item?
Consumers based in the UK and European Union can request to return the Goods on Vinterior up to 14 days after the Goods have been received. Once accepted, the buyer is in charge of the shipment and should organise it as soon as possible (except in the case of a return of faulty Goods).
To initiate a return, the Customer must click on Create a return on the order page on the Site. In the return request, the reason for the return must be included along with photos of any damage of the Goods, if faulty.
As with cancellations, the right to return an item does not apply to the following types of Goods, which are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to the Customer’s specific requirements.
Additionally, the Customer may not return an item for "inaccurate listing” reason when its dimensions or other characteristics do not fit its requirements. We strongly recommend that buyer measures all access areas prior to making a purchase.
If in doubt, the Customer can contact the Vendor via the Site.
In case of a return, the costs of delivery (i.e., outbound delivery costs when Goods are sent from the Vendor to a Customer) are non-refundable.
The Customer is responsible for organising the return of Goods and for paying delivery costs. Once the item is returned to the Vendor in the same condition, the Vendor will confirm receipt and refund the Customer. If an item is returned to the seller damaged, or in an unsuitable condition, Vinterior will not be able to process the refund and the seller may have to send it back to you (and ask you to cover the delivery costs). All items are inspected on return.
Acting under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, customers may return faulty Goods that are damaged in transportation or the listing on the Site is materially inaccurate, misleading, or misrepresents the Goods. In these cases, the Customer must provide photographic evidence to Vinterior and the Vendor or reject the delivery on arrival.
In case of damage in transit for all items, Vinterior must be informed. Vinterior will then raise an insurance claim on behalf the Vendor with delivery company Proovia. Once the claim is resolved and any relevant decision regarding the insurance has been made, any applicable refunds will be processed.
Please note that vintage items are not sold as new and are likely to show signs of wear and tear. This is not sufficient grounds for a refund.
Vendors may refuse a return of an item if it has been altered by the Customer in any way.
Neither Vinterior nor the Vendors are liable for any damages or loss sustained in transit via third parties.
Price match guarantee
If you find the same item listed at a lower price (including delivery) elsewhere, we'll match it for you.
For further policy details click here.
Why buy on Vinterior?
- 14-day return guarantee
- Top customer service
- 100% secure payment
How it works
- Send a screenshot of the item from the other website with date and time visible.
- Send us the link of the item on Vinterior and on the other website.
- We'll check that it's the same item from the same seller.
- If eligible, Vinterior matches the price.
