Crafted in France in the mid nineteenth century, these beautiful, resplendent pieces are a pair of ormolu and malachite tazze. From the Italian 'tazza' - cup, a term itself derived from Arabic, tazze are small, intricately decorated and visually impressive shallow drinking vessels.
The term is used both to refer to drinking items of exceptional beauty, or, as in this case, pieces that are of similar shape but are meant more as pure decorative wares. This particular pair are crafted from ormolu and a later malachite veneer.
