Pair of French ormolu mounted bisque porcelain vases

This superb pair of vases, each of which takes the form of a Classical Greek krater, is crafted from ormolu mounted bisque, or unglazed, porcelain—though, strikingly, the porcelain is parcel glazed on occasion.

Each vase is raised on a circular ormolu base, set atop four feet, the ormolu richly moulded with classicising forms. The circular foot of each vase rises into a slender socle, the surface of which is finished with parcel gilt cobalt-blue coloured glaze. Above, the wide belly of each vase is moulded with acanthus leave forms, the belly rising into a large, flared neck, the surface of which is moulded with a bas-relief frieze depicting a Bacchanalia of cherubim. The bisque porcelain is parcel glazed on occasion, demonstrating great skill—moreover, this glazing is further parcel gilt with scrolling, foliate forms and arabesques. The lip of each is set with an ormolu mount.

The underside of each vase is affixed with a sticker reading ‘Joyeria Victor Montevideo 1558 / Bs. Aires – Mar del Plata’. The vases thus demonstrate an unusual South American provenance.