Adrian Alan Decorative Objects

A Fine Gilt and Silvered Bronze Porcelain Inset Casket. This casket of large proportions has gilt and silvered bronze sculptural mounts. The porcelain panels to the sides and to the...

A Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze and Blue Enamel Cartel Clock and Barometer, By Maison Mottheau & Fils., Paris. This exceptional cartel clock and aneroid barometer exhibit the finest p...

'La Nature se dévoilant devant la Science', A Large and Rare Gilt and Silvered Bronze and Marble Figure entitled ('Nature unveiling itself before science') By Louis-Ernest Barrias (...

A Large and Rare Gilt and Patinated Bronze Jardiniere or Monumental Wine Cooler. With upright scroll handles over a cylindrical body cast with scenes of a bacchic procession and ce...

The ‘Diana and Actaeon’ Vase A Large Meissen Porcelain Two Handled Vase, Painted By Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794-1872). Model Number G.103. The body finely painted with a con...

An Exceptional White Statuary Marble Figural Group of Two Nymphs, Entitled ‘Stelle Cadenti’ (‘Falling Stars’) By Vittorio Caradossi (Italian, 1861-1918). Sculpted from a single bloc...

A Fine Pair of Italian Carved Walnut and Parcel Gilt Figural Torchères by Angiolo Barbetti, (1805-1873) Florence. Signed 'Barbetti', 'Anno 1866', 'Firenze'. Each torchère finely...

A Gilt and Pewter Patinated Bronze Sculptural Jardiniere, Entitled 'The Bell Founders Of The Middle Ages', Cast By The Siot Decauville Foundry, Paris, From The Model By Louis Albert-...

A Large Gilt-Bronze and Sèvres Style Cobalt Blue Ground Porcelain Three-Piece Clock Garniture. Comprising a mantle clock and a pair of vases and covers. The mantel clock modelled w...

A pair of Large Louis XV Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Marble Figural Candelabra. Each modelled with naturalistically cast rocaille and laurel leaf candle branches above cher...

A Louis XVI Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Marble Clock Garniture, Comprising a 'Pendule à Cercles Tournants' Modelled with the Three Graces and a Pair of Cherub Four-Light Cand...

An Important and Extremely Rare Grand Figural Cartel Clock, After a Design by Gilles-Marie Oppenord. Of grand proportions and of exceptional quality this rare cartel clock is after...

A Fine Pair of Patinated Bronze Allegorical Busts of Autumn and Summer By Pierre-Louis Détrier. Finely modelled and cast, the busts depict young maidens allegorical of Summer and Au...

A Large and Important Multi-Patinated Bronze Figure of an Arab Warrior by Henri Honoré Plé. Signed Henri Plé to the base. The figure is finely modelled as an Arab warrior, with sw...

A Pair of Large Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Rouge Griotte Vases and Covers. Designed in the Neoclassical Style with intwined serpent handles above ram’s masks joined by aca...

A Fine Pair of Bronze Figures Entitled 'Avant le Combat' and 'Apres le Combat', Cast from the models by Etienne-Henri Dumaige (1830 - 1888). Signed H. Dumaige, with title plaquet...

A Pair of Sèvres Porcelain Presentation Vases, Designed by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse. France, Dated 1874. Marked to the base of each vase ‘Doré A Sèvr...

A Pair of Patinated Bronze Figures Of The Egyptian High Priest 'Pastophore' and The Egyptian Scribe 'Hierogrammate' By Emile Louis Picault (French, 1833-1915). Each signed 'Picau...

A Rare Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Inkwell. Designed by Léon Messagé and Cast By The Ferdinand Barbedienne Foundry, Paris. Designed in the exuberant Rococo style surmounted by a sea...

An Art Nouveau Bronze Figural Ewer Modelled With A Water Nymph by Auguste Ledru, Cast by Susse Frères. Inscribed 'Susse F. Paris Edt.', stam...

A Large Patinated Bronze Figure of ‘Jeanne d'Arc Prisonnière’ (‘Prisoner Joan of Arc’), By Louis-Ernest Barrias (French, 1841–1905). Joan of Arc modelled standing, in handcuffs and armour and wearing a Bascinet helmet. Signed ‘E. Barrias’ and with foundry mark ‘Susse Fres Edit Paris', Stamped 'PS'. Titled on the base: ‘Vous avez pu m'enchainer/vous n'enchainerez jamais la Fortune de la France/Jeanne d'Arc’ ('You were able to chain me but you will never chain the will of France. Joan of Arc’). Cast as part of a limited edition by the Susse Frères foundry, Paris, from the model by Louis-Ernest Barrias (French, 1841 – 1905). The model conceived Circa 1891 and Cast Circa 1910. In 1891 Barrias completed his touching life-size portrait of 'Jeanne d'Arc devant ses judges' ('Joan of Arc before the judges') in marble for her monument at the Church...

A Fine Patinated Bronze Figural Group of Cupid and Psyche, Entitled 'L'Amour Vainqueur' ('A Love Vanquished') By Adolphe Itasse (French, 1830 - 1893). On a revolving rouge de Fran...

A Fine Patinated Bronze Group, Entitled 'Thesée Combattant le Centaure Bianor' ('Theseus Fighting the Centaur Bianor'), Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, From the Model By Antoine Louis...

A Louis XVI Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Marble Three Graces Spherical Clock. By Emmanuel-Alfred (Dit Alfred II) Beurdeley. Modelled in bronze with the Three Graces holding ...

A Pair of Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Eight-Light Candelabra, Attributed to Victor Paillard. Each exuberantly modelled in the high rococo style with pl...

A Large Patinated Bronze Sculpture of Emperor Napoleon on Horseback, Cast by Susse Frères, Paris, From the Model By Alfred Émilien O'Hara, Comte de Nieuwerkerke (1811-1892). Dark br...

An Orientalist Lifesize Figural Bronze Statue, Attributed to Louis Hottot (French, 1834-1906). Modelled as a lady in Ottoman dress standing beneath an Eastern style pagoda with mina...

A Pair of Large Gilt-Bronze Mounted Sèvres-Style Cobalt Blue Ground Porcelain Vases and Covers. Signed 'H. Desprez'. Each of baluster form. One painted to the front with Louis XV a...

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1795-1875) 'Lion marchant' bronze with dark brown patina signed 'BARYE' on the base and with the foundry mark 'HB / C' to underside for Maison H. Brame. France, Circa 1880. Antoine-Louis Barye’s remarkably lifelike depictions of wild animals made him the most famous animal sculptor of the nineteenth century and he is credited with making small animal bronzes cast in bronze a recognised genre. Such artists became known as ‘animaliers’. Given the associations with power and strength it is befitting that Barye cemented his reputation with his depeiction of ‘Un lion assis...

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1795-1875) 'Tigre qui Marche' Bronze with dark brown patina. Signed 'BARYE' and with the foundry mark 'F. BARBEDIENNE. Fondeur' on the base. France, C...

A Fine White Marble Figure of a Kneeling Cherub, By Pio Fedi. Signed to the base 'Pio Fedi Faceva'. Italian, Circa 1860. Pio Fedi (1815-1892) was an Italia...

A Regence Style Gilt-Bronze and Boulle Marquetry Inlaid Grand Cartel de Applique, In the Manner of André-Charles Boulle. The eight-day twin-train movement, striking on a bell. The dial with a porcelain cartouche inscribed ‘Thuret a Paris’. The movement stamped Etienne Maxant and ‘12775: 8.1 EM’. This impressive and large cartel clock has a circular, arabesque chased, brass dial with Roman numerals on enamelled cartouches, with engraved Arabic seconds and polished steel hands. The dial sits within a waisted case, with large acanthus mounted gilt-bronze volutes...

A Pair of Large Gilt-Bronze Mounted Chinese Celadon-Ground and Slip Decorated Porcelain Vases. These vases of Chinese celadon porcelain from the ...

A Patinated Bronze Figural Group of ‘Gloria Victis’ (‘Glory to the Vanquished’), Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne from the Model by Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercié (French, 1845-1916). ‘Gloria Victis’ (‘Glory to the Vanquished’). Bronze, gilt and dark brown patina. Signed 'A. Mercié', with foundry inscription 'F. BARBEDIENNE, Fondeur. Paris.' and A. Collas reduction cachet. The integral base titled 'GLORIA VICTIS'. This cast is part of a limited edition by the Barbedienne Foundry. France. Circa 1880. ‘Gloria Victis’ is one of the most recognisable and important works of sculpture of the nineteenth century and a definitive image of France’s historic national identity. The figure of glory, winged and wearing armour, carries a dying young warrior heavenwards towards fame and immortality. The compositional daring of the group must be admired for balancing two figures on the minimal support of one foot, wings spread in the moment before taking flight. Mercié was a student at the French Academy of Rome when the Prussians invaded France in 1870. Shortly after the war had begun, he executed a group depicting the figure of Fame supporting a victorious soldier. When news reached Mercié in Rome that the French had surrendered, he decided to alter his group, replacing the victorious soldier with a defeated casualty, thus transforming an allegory of ‘Glory to the Victors’ into one of ‘Glory to the Vanquished’. Completed in 1872, a year after the defeat of French soldiers against the Prussian army, the statue personifies a defeated but heroic France. The title is also a reversal of the famous formula, ‘Vae Victis’ (Death to the Vanquished), which the Gallic general Brennus exclaimed upon defeating the Romans in 390 BC. The figure of the fallen soldier was thought to represent Henri Regnault, a fellow sculptor of Mercié who was killed on the last day of fighting. Measuring 317 cm. high the original group of ‘Gloria Victis’ was unveiled in plaster at the Salon of 1872. It was bought by the City of Paris for the sum of twelve thousand francs and then cast in bronze by Victor Thiébaut for eight thousand five hundred francs. The bronze was exhibited at the Salon in 1875 and first placed in Montholon Square in the 8th arrondissement. In 1884 it was transferred to the courtyard of the Hôtel de Ville and in 1930, it entered the collection of the Musée du Petit Palais, where it can be seen to this day. The Thiébaut Frères foundry also cast Gloria Victis bronzes for the cities of Niort (requested 1881) Bordeaux (requested 1883), Châlons-sur-Marne (today, Châlons-en-Champagne; requested 1890), and Cholet (requested 1901). In 1905, the Danish brewer and art collector Carl Jacobsen was permitted to have an exact cast made of the original sculpture in Paris, on condition that the base was made 2 cm lower and bore the inscription “Original tilhører Paris By” (The original belongs to the City of Paris). It too was cast by the Thiébaut Frères foundry. Gloria Victis was one of Jacobsen’s most important and his last acquisition. Today it has been returned to its original position in the Winter Garden at Glyptoteket, Copenhagen, Denmark. The full-size plaster was shown again at the Paris Expositon universelle of 1878 alongside a bronze reduction by Barbedienne. By this time Antonin Mercié had entered into a commercial edition contract with the Ferdinand Babedienne foundry to produce bronze reductions of Gloria Victis, his most famous work. Gloria Victis is first recorded to have been produced in three sizes and by 1886 Barbedienne’s ‘Catalogue des Bronzes D’Art’ lists six sizes measuring 3/5, 9/20, 7/20, 3/10, 6/25 and 2/10, of the original. These reductions were produced by an invention of Barbedienne’s business partner Achille Collas. The Collas reducing machine was a type of complex mechanical pantograph lathe that enabled sculpture to be mathematically measured and transcribed to scale, in the round, thus making a reduced size plaster from which a bronze could be cast. Mercié's modern sculpture had become an instant classic, even receiving an entry in the Nouveau Larousse Illustré. The success of the group undoubtedly lay in the fact that it was admired not just on an aesthetic level, but also on a patriotic level, particularly in its commemoration of heroism in defeat. Immediately ‘Gloria Victis’ was recognised as a national artwork, capable of arousing patriotism and casts were ordered from Barbedienne as local memorials commemorating the war’s dead for cities across France. ‘Gloria Victis’ was considered so much a part of France’s national identity that for the 1900 Paris Exhibition, Ferdinand Barbedienne’s nephew Gustave Leblanc, loaned a bronze example to feature as part of l’Exposition centennale de l’art français. Literature: For an interesting account of the process of creating a reduction in bronze of the Gloria Victis by Barbedienne and illustrations of the casting and finishing of the bronze see: 'Ferdinand Barbedienne': Theodore Child; Harper's new monthly magazine, Volume 73, Issue 436, September 1886. ‘Contemporary French Sculptors’: The Century, Volume 33, Issue 3, Jan 1887. ‘Modern French Sculpture’: Harper's new monthly magazine, Volume 76, Issue 452, January 1888. S, Lami, ‘Dictionnaire des sculpteurs de l'Ecole française au dix-neuvième siècle’, Tome III. G.-M., Paris, 1914, p. 432. Peter Fusco and H.W. Janson, The Romantics to Rodin: French Nineteenth Century Sculpture from North...

A Pair of Large Gilt-Bronze Mounted Chinese Celadon-Ground and Slip Decorated Porcelain Vases. These vases of Chinese celadon porcelain from the late Quing Dynasty are slip-decorated with willow trees and prunus flowers. The finely sculpted gilt-bronze handles are modelled as winged merman term figures running on berried scrolled clasps to a rocaille raised foot. These superb vases are in the tradition for mounting Chinese porcelain with gilt-bronze accoutrements made by ciseleur-doreurs such as Pierre Gouthière for the marchand-merciers, namely Dominique Daguerre and Simon-Philippe Poirier. The practice continued into the nineteenth century when Prince Regent, later George IV (1762-1830), sent Chinese porcelain vases from the Royal...

A Pair of Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Verde Antico Marble Vases and Covers, by Susse Frères, After a design by F. Rambaud. Each vase is of baluster form, with acanthus finial and scrolled handles. Each inscribed to the bronze moulding to the base ‘Susse Fres.' France, Circa 1900. Susse Frères Tracing its origins to 1758, the Paris foundry of Susse Frères is one of the oldest art foundries in Europe. They were appointed suppliers to Empress Marie Louise from 1812 and the Duc de Berry from 1818...

A Large Pair of Vienna Style Porcelain Vases and Covers. Each of tapering baluster shape decorated with gilt flowers and anthemion against a claret and ivy green ground. The front w...

A Pair of Large Napoleon III Gilt-Bronze Nine-Light Candelabra, Emblematic of Hunting. Each conceived in the Louis XV style with rocaille stem supporting assymetrically modelled sc...

A Rare and Exceptional Gilt and Patinated Bronze Monumental Cercles Tournants Clock Garniture, by Deniere, Paris. The backplate signed 'DENIERE...

A Pair of Louis XV Style Gilt-Bornze Six-Light Candelabra by Robert Frères, Cast by Susse Frères. Signed to the base ‘Robert Frères, à Paris’ and with the cachet stamp for ‘Editeur ...

A Pair of Oval Bronze Reliefs After Clodion. Each inscribed to the cast Clodion. Each plaque depicts a Bacchic scene of a maiden dancing with a young s...

A Champlevé Enamel and Gilt-Bronze Mounted Jardinière by Ferdinand Barbedienne, the design attributed to Louis-Constant Sévin. This fine jardinière is decorated all over with foliate...

A Large And Rare Pair of ‘Neo-Grec’ Style Multipatinated Bronze Amphora Vases by Ferdinand Levillain and Ferdinand Barbedienne. Signed to the cast ‘F. Levillain Fecit 1880’ and ‘F. Barbedienne’. This large pair of multipatinated vases are of amphora form modelled in the ‘Neo-Grec’ style with trumpet shaped necks and scrolling handles terminating in masks; the vases are raised on circular spreading bases put down on plinths. Each vase is finely ornamented with laurel leaves and garlands to the neck, the main body with a superb banded frieze cast in low relief depicting the Centauromachy. In the Centauromachy, the Lapiths battle with the Centaurs at the wedding feast of Pirithous. An enduring classical theme linked with the idea of culture versus nature, the Centauromachy was widely depicted in ancient Greece from the Southern Metopes of the Parthenon Freieze to the Temple of Apollo Epikourious at Bassai, it also appears as a subject on numerous Attic vases such as the Ilioupersis krater. A popular theme for artists from the Renaissance onwards it was depicted by amongst others, Michelangelo, Piero di Cosimo, Luca Signorelli, Sebastiano Ricci...

A Pair of Magnificent and Palatial Patinated Bronze Figural Putto Seven-Light Gilt-Bronze, Rock-Crystal and Amethyst Glass Candelabra, On Green Marble Pedestals. By Raingo Frères, ...

A Napoléon III Marble Mantle Clock With A Patinated Bronze Figure of 'Phryné' by James Pradier. France, Circa 1860. Surmounted by a finely cast pa...

Alfred Boucher (French, 1850-1934), ‘Diana the Huntress’, A Near Lifesize Statuary Marble Group. Modelled nude with head turned looking to her left, striding forward holding the greyhound by its collar with her right hand and a giltwood bow in her left hand. On an integral carved base with foliage support. Signed 'A. BOUCHER' Boucher’s choice of pose is deliberately indebted to the celebrated mid-16th century painting of Diana the Huntress by an anonymous artist of the School of Fontainebleau. The painting is a mythical representation of Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of King Henry II, in the guise of the goddess Diana, who is shown nude, walking forward beside a greyhound, looking over her left shoulder and holding a bow. Another clear antecedent for Boucher’s ‘Diane the Huntress...

A Pair of Gilt-Bronze And Rouge Griotte Marble Vases and Covers. By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris. Designed in the Neo-Grec style these elegant vases stand atop Rouge Griotte marb...

A Large and Impressive Louis XVI Style gilt-bronze four-light candelabrum, After the Model Attributed to Pierre Gouthière. Finely cast and gilded with a central stem issuing three...

A fine Napoleon III gilt bronze and porcelain three piece clock garniture by Raingo Freres. The circular gilt and 'jewel' decorated porcelain dial of the clock with Roman numerals an...

‘The Monkey Rider’ – Paul Joseph Raymond Gayrard (1807 - 1855). Signed to the base ‘Paul Gayrard’ and dated 1846. A rare patinated bronze group of a monkey in the guise of a Jockey riding a racehorse, startled by a barking dog at his feet. French, Dated 1846. The mid-nineteenth century saw a surge of interest in animalier bronzes with whimsical and anthropomorphic subjects becoming particularly fashionable. In a similar vain to Christophe Fratin’s humanised depiction's of Bears posed as lamp lighters, dentists and reading books, Gayrard created his famous Monkey bronzes. He was awarded a First Class Medal at the 1846 Salon for his humorous group ‘The Monkey Steeplechase’, which can be related to subject of the present sculpture, ‘Monkey Rider’. With the publication of Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species in 1859’ the popularity of anthropomorphically conceived subjects began to decline. As such these sculptures were only created during a very brief window of time and are consequently very rare. PAul Joseph Ryamond Gayrard Paul Joseph Raymond Gayrard (1807 – 1855) born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. He studied at an early age under his father the sculptor and engraver Raymond Gayrard, before becoming a student of François Rude and later David d'Angers. He first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1827 and continued to submit works throughout his lifetime winning a Second Class Medal in 1834 and a First Class Medal in 1846 and 1848. His last recorded exhibit was in 1855. He executed many busts of notables of the day which proved popular with the haute bourgeois, but it was his talent for animalier that confirmed his reputation as a sculptor of considerable talent. His known bronze animal models date from the years 1846 until 1848 with his powerful plaster of a 'Harness Horse...

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1795-1875). ‘Éléphant du Sénégal’ (‘Senegalese Elephant’). Patinated bronze. Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris, from the model by Antoine-Louis B...

A pair of Charles X gilt-bronze mounted cut crystal glass vases. Each of ovoid form with ribbed sides, mounted with foliate-scroll handles, on a square leaf-tip base with paw feet...

François-Raoul Larche (French, 1860 - 1912). Three 'Art Nouveau' Gilt-Bronze Sculptural Centrepieces. Comprising a large pair of centrepieces and a ...

A Pair of Louis XVI style gilt-bronze and polished steel candlesticks By Emmanuel-Alfred (dit Alfred II) Beurdeley. Stamped 'BY' for Beurdeley. Each modelled as a bacchic putto standing on a tambourine holding atop his head a basket of fruit concealing a candle nozzle. The circular spreading base of polished steel above a band of beads and stiff-leaf foot. Provenance: Collection Pierre...

A rare and large pair of neo-grec gilt and patinated bronze amphora vases. Designed by Ferdinand Levillain and cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne. Signed ‘F. Levillain’ and ‘F. Barbedienne’. These spectacular floor-standing Neo-Grec vases...

A Fine Pair of Gilt-Bronze Mounted Sèvres Style Porcelain Vases and Covers. The painted reserves signed 'G. Poitevin.'. This fine pair of pair of vase...

A very fine gilt-bronze wall clock and matching barometer with Sèvres Plaques. The dial of the clock signed ‘JULIEN LEROY A PARIS’, the barometer dial signed ‘PASSEMANT AU LOUVRE’. The eight day strike Wall Clock and its matching Barometer, both have a terminal in the form of a pineapple drop with acanthus leaf scroll detail. Above this is a Sèvres panel of a cherub in a garden, rising to a white enamelled dial with Arabic and Roman numerals flanked by cascading relief moulded fruit from a further Sèvres panel of a cherub in flight below a ribbon tied pediment. This companion clock and barometer are fine nineteenth century examples of a pair originally supplied to Madame du Barry in 1769 by the marchand mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier. They were then described as ‘Un Baromètre & Thermomètre, de Passement, montés très richement en bronze dorés d’or moulu et ornés de trois plaques de porcelaine de france à Enfants en miniature cy 10561I.’ It is interesting to note that the original design was made to allow either of three porcelain plaques, depicting putti with astrolabes. Eighteenth century models are now in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. French, Circa 1880. Literature: De Bellaigue, G. The James A. de Rothschild Collection...

'Pendule Fleur d'Hélianthe' - A Rare 'Japonisme' Cut-Crystal Glass, Gilt and Patinated Bronze Clock by Baccarat, Paris. Stamped 'Baccarat', The clock movement signed 'Planchon à P...

Isidore Jules Bonheur (French, 1827-1901) ‘Le Grand Jockey ‘ Signed 'I Bonheur' and with foundry stamp PEYROL EDITEUR'. Bronze, rich mid-brown pa...

An important set of four large Porphyry Obelisks. Each obelisk is of square section tapering form with a spiked orb finial and embellished with carved roundels of the twelve Roman Emperors in profile. The main body is raised on ball supports putdown on square sectioned plinth bases. Each obelisk is carved with three Emperors profile...