~ 19th Century Napoleonic Gilt Mounted Sevres Style Urn Pair ~
The porcelain urns are profusely embellished with raised gilt foliate decoration against a cobalt blue ground. They date to around 1890.
At the centre is a finely hand painted Napoleonic battle scene with five officers on horseback and an officer on foot on one, on the other six officers are mounted, each one including Napoleon on his white charger. Both also have field cannons in the foreground with the battle lines of infantry in the far distance. Both of these panels are signed by the artist H. Desprez.
Below this is a gilt Napoleon Bonaparte's letter “N” surrounded by a wreath with multiple gilt bees on the same level. The bee is an emblem of the French First and later Second Empire, a symbol of immortality and resurrection.
The covers bear gilt brass finials in the shape of a pine cone, with gilt rosette to the interior. The base stand, middle ring and top cover of the vase body are also of gilt brass.
The inside of the lid is marked “M.Imp Le De Sevres” in red.
~ Dimensions ~
The urns have a height of 14 inches (35.6 cm) & a maximum diameter of 5 inches (12.7 cm). The set weighs 2.6 Kg.
~ Condition ~
There is some very minor wear to the gilt. One vase has a chip to the cobalt blue glaze just above the middle gilt brass ring. The pair are in otherwise excellent condition.
