Pair of ormolu mounted Kangxi porcelain vases

This superb pair of vases features Kangxi period porcelain, dating from the late 17^th or very early 18^th Century, mounted with late 19^th Century Parisian ormolu (gilt bronze), the combination evincing the taste for the Chinoiserie style that flourished in France during the latter 19^th Century.

The Kangxi era porcelain that constitutes the body of each vase is of the characteristic blue-and-white type, the cobalt blue in this instance being particularly deep and vibrant. The elegant porcelain vase in each is bottle shaped, its ground profusely painted with blue, with four white-ground cartouches on each side of the body. These white-ground cartouches are painted in blue with assemblages of items, including representations of vases, scrolls and bound books, and chrysanthemum flowers.

Each vase is mounted with French ormolu. The vases are raised by ormolu four-legged bases, the ormolu cast in relief with sprigs of cherry blossom. The top of each vase is mounted to the rim with a flared and gadrooned ormolu lip, and the body of each vase is mounted with twin handles, the handles taking the form of looped ropes attached to the porcelain body with acanthus-leaf style mounts.