Pair of Empire style ormolu and red tôle vases

This pair of baluster form vases features red tôle (or painted metal) ovoid bodies and Empire style ormolu mounts. Each vase, raised above a square ormolu base with scalloped corners and an ormolu waisted socle, features a beautiful red body set with superb ormolu mounts, most strikingly the twin dragon-neck handles set to the shoulders and joined by a highly ornate foliate garland. The dragon-form handles are a Chinoiserie inspired play on a more traditional Empire motif: that of the swan neck. Each vase is topped with a pierced ormolu rim and set with an ormolu lid.