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French Napoleonic Revival Gilt Bronze Armorial Dolphin Finial on Marble Base
$1,250
£957.97
€1,101.02
CA$1,755.69
A$1,964.94
CHF 1,028.57
MX$23,870.42
NOK 13,060.28
SEK 12,324.61
DKK 8,215.56
About the Item
A sculptural bronze and marble object of symbolic and decorative intent, this French piece from the late 19th century is cast in the Napoleonic Revival style and takes the form of a heraldic finial or mount, possibly once crowning a presentation box, armorial cabinet, or other ceremonial furnishing. The design features a pair of stylized dolphins, modeled in the classical manner with muscular, scaled bodies and expressive baroque faces, their tails dramatically coiled upward in a mirrored spiral. At the apex of this entwined form, the dolphins support a central bronze orb surmounted by a fleur-de-lis—an emblem historically associated with French monarchy, divine right, and authority.
The entire ensemble is mounted on a smoothly polished oval plinth of white marble, providing both visual contrast and weight to stabilize the sculptural composition. The symbolism is multilayered: dolphins, since antiquity, have connoted protection, swiftness, and naval prowess, while the orb and fleur-de-lis elevate the piece into the realm of state power, dynastic identity, or courtly heraldry. Within the Napoleonic and Second Empire vocabulary, such a configuration would have signified maritime imperialism and legitimacy, possibly alluding to the imperial globe (“globus cruciger”) adapted to a French idiom through the fleur-de-lis.
Its scale—5.25 inches wide by 3.375 inches deep and 5 inches high—suggests it was not merely decorative but functional, perhaps serving as the finial to a reliquary box, ceremonial inkstand, or as a central cartouche on a larger architectural element.
- Dimensions:Height: 5 in (12.7 cm)Width: 5.25 in (13.34 cm)Depth: 3.375 in (8.58 cm)
- Style:Napoleon III (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:19th century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor wear commensurate with age and use including gilt loss to surface.
- Seller Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7838246147122
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