Sèvres style porcelain and ormolu vase with marine theme

The vase is placed on an ormolu (gilt bronze) base which is decorated with seashells and set on four acanthus leaf C-scroll feet. The vase’s porcelain body is supported by four ormolu sea monsters with expressive faces and twisting scaled tails. The underside of the vase is mounted with a band of ormolu acanthus leaves and a shaped drop-finial.

Gilt medallions containing colourful paintings decorate the front and reverse of the vase’s porcelain body. The front picture depicts fishermen in a port, and the reverse shows a bouquet of flowers. These medallions are placed against a ‘bleu celeste’ (sky blue) ground which is parcel gilt with quatrefoil patterns. Two ormolu scrolled acanthus leaf handles are mounted onto the vase’s body, and its shoulders are encircled by an ormolu foliage band.

The vase’s porcelain neck is pierced, suggesting that it may have been designed to hold pot pourri. The beautiful scent of the dried spices and flowers would be able to escape through these holes and diffuse across the room. The vase’s neck is decorated with parcel gilt white cartouches containing paintings of exotic birds. These are offset against a ‘bleu celeste’ ground which is encircled by gilt bands. The vase’s flared mouth is crafted from ormolu and decorated with egg-and-dart patterns. It is topped by a domed ‘bleu celeste’ porcelain lid which features gilt flower garlands and wreaths, and is crowned by an ormolu pinecone finial.