Ormolu and crystal six-piece table garniture by Christofle

This table garniture, crafted from finely cast and gilt bronze (ormolu) and cut crystal, is comprised of six pieces: a jardinière, a two-tier centrepiece tazza, a pair of six-branch candelabra, and a pair of tazza-like raised bowls. The garniture was produced by Christofle, a leading French goldsmith and tableware manufacturing company founded in 1830.

The ormolu throughout is richly detailed, designed with an amalgam of Rococo playfulness and Neoclassical grandeur in mind. The dominant motif is that of the cherub: for instance, cherubim serve as the stems in the candelabra and the raised bowls, twin cherubim function as handles on the jardinière, and a cherub sits beneath the lower tier of the tazza. Foliage, too, features prominently: fruit and leaf laden vines abound, encompassing the forms of each piece.

The ormolu has been exceptionally finely cast, the slightest of details fully rendered: the cherubim sit and stand naturalistically, whether seated with limp legs or raised in contrapposto. Each piece—bar the candelabra—features wonderfully cut crystal: the bowl of the jardinière, its form mirrored by the forms of the raised bowls, and the flat and lipped tazza trays cut with a geometrical pyramidal surface pattern, are all wrought from beautiful crystal.

The ormolu throughout is signed ‘Christofle’ and stamped with various other marks, including inventory numbers.

Candelabra: Height 66cm, diameter 32cm
Jardinière: Height 22.5cm, width 51cm, depth 26cm