Gilt Decorative Objects

A large French seven light gilt brass candelabra from the 1800’s. This whimsical fixture from a church has seven candle cups and gilt bronze flowers. The tripod base has three legs w...

Collection of gilt leather bound library book set of thirteen volumes. The works of William Shakespeare / The Cambridge text. Each boo...

A fine porcelain covered sugar bowl (that doubles perfectly as a table box). In the Melone (pattern) designed by Josef Hoffmann in 1929. In white porcelain with gold highlights. B...

A very fine pair of antique 19th century French handpainted porcelain style pot-pourri urns, Veuve Perrin, Marseilles. The urns were designed to receive fragrant pot pourri, each lid is surmounted with a gilded acorn shape finial and having pierced decoration to allow the fragrant aromas to diffuse. The body of each urn is very finely handpainted with two bucolic/farming scenes and on the other side figural subjects in a pastoral setting. Above the handpainted panels...

This piece has a great story. The late 19th Century center object features a gilt metal stand. As found at a market in Copenhagen, Denmark, we later added a thick lucite base and rec...

Patriotic French 19th century ormolu bronze eagle standing on a globe malachite mantel clock. The eagle is a symbol of power as well as a recognizable sign of the Empire style. The d...

Here's a beautiful and unique way to accent your indoor display space with this special treasure from Japan. This is an attractive solid and finely cast effigy of an elegant horse ...

19th Century, Pair of French Gilt Bronze Candlesticks with Polychrome Porcelain, marble base The pair of elegant candlesticks with three lights was made in France, in the nineteent...

A fabulous & rare pair of baccarat acid-cameo double overlay blue-cased white opaline glass vases circa 1860-1870. Each vase decorated on the front and ...

From the 1700s through the early 1800s, European aristocrats developed a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture and design that culminated in a full Egyptian Revival. Prominent figures such as Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned rooms decorated with Egyptian motifs. This cultural moment reflects a fascination with a sophisticated civilization of great artists and pharaohs. The Regency era possessed very little knowledge of the Great Pyramids or hieroglyphics, a quality that lent Egyptian art interpretation a compelling air of mystique. This English Regency period gilt carving depicts a popular figure of borrowed Egyptian motif: the Sphinx. Recognized among educated circles as a symbol of brilliance in the ancient past, the Sphinx was well-known as a mythological creature who destroys those who failed to answer her riddle. Such a piece as this, excellent in detail and craftsmanship, may have once graced the mantle of a gentleman’s study or been exchanged as a gift between British scholars. The beautiful gold surface has been achieved by an artful combination of gilt and gesso; the art enthusiast will appreciate the intricate texture realized in the carving’s hair and tail as well as the delicate detailing of the saddle. Borrowing from the Egyptians, the Greeks had their own interpretation of the Sphinx. Greek mythology chronicled the Sphinx as being the daughter of Orthous and Chimera or Laius and attributed the riddles, which she proposed, as having been taught to her by the Muses. Crowned with a Grecian diadem and having a refined expression, she evokes an ancient yet reserved intellect. For the modern-day enthusiast of classical Greek art...

A Monumental and Rare 19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Multi-Marble Bust of Alexander The Great, After The Model by Francois Girardon. Drawing inspiration from the renowned "Bust of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)" housed in the esteemed Palace of Versailles, this monumental work of art showcases exceptional craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, serving as a testament to the creator's artistic prowess. Central to this magnificent sculpture is the resplendent red marble face, neck, and hair of Alexander the Great. Capturing the youthful essence of the conqueror, the sculptor depicts him as a young man with a clean-shaven countenance, his moderately long curls delicately cascading from beneath a remarkably unadorned helmet, save for a magnificent plume. The red marble harmoniously accentuates the life-like features of Alexander, imparting an air of regal elegance to the composition. Adding to the allure of this remarkable sculpture is an ormolu robe cascading over Alexander's shoulders, exuding an aura of nobility and power. Of particular note, the breastplate bears an embossed ormolu mask of a deity in profile, surrounded by elegantly sweeping acanthus leaves, paying homage to the influential forces that shaped the life of this great conqueror. Once again, the sublime combination of precious metal and marble amplifies the robe's magnificence, further accentuated by the presence of an ormolu body chain swaying gracefully from Alexander's left shoulder to his right hip. The selection of marbles for the cuirass and plinth serves as an additional testament to the artist's commitment to crafting a visually striking and harmonious composition. The grey marble cuirass complements the overall color scheme of the bust while providing a subtle contrast to the red marble features. At the neck, a pleated ormolu linen undergarment discreetly peeks out, showcasing the artist's meticulous attention to intricate details and enhancing the sculpture's depth. The original Alexander The Great Bust...

A fine, antique cabinet sized sculpture of a bear. In gilt bronze. Modeled naively with the bear standing on all four feet, ears alert, and ...

Antique 19th century French patinated bronze bust of Ariadne retailed by Tiffany & Co. Beautiful Grand Tour model mounted on a gilt bronze and rouge marble plinth. Marked Tiffany & Co. with inventory number. The Antinous bust based on the Lansdown Antinous marble found at Hadrian’s Villa...

Renaissance Revival enamel and gilt bronze mantel clock French, late 19th century Size: Height 53cm, width 29cm, depth 22cm The mantel clock i...

A rare and unusual antique Royal Dux figure of an Alpine mountain skier, having a Clock mounted in the top. Lovely rendering of colors and textures that simply delights the eye when ...

A magnificent and grand late Victorian Austrian desk set, made from cast bronze, beautifully finished in gold. The cast Owl is a figural inkwell ...

A Fantastic, rare, and antique Chinese Cloisonné Enamel Gu Form vase, 17th/18th century, Kangxi Period. This cloisonne vase is extremely rare to find in this quality, condition, age,...

Imagine these in your fireplace with the flames burning on all sides. These beautifully and all handcrafted, large and fire-gilt bronze andirons are made to stand in your fireplace ...

A very fine quality antique Bohemian parcel-gilt emerald green art glass portrait vase attributed to luxury glassware icon, Moser Glassworks (1857-present). Hand blown and painted...

Introducing an extraordinary and complete collection of Twelve English silver and silver-gilt "Twelve Days of Christmas" gift boxes, presented...

A fine pair of Paris porcelain vases on pedestal bases, featuring landscape scenes within acid-etched gilt borders. The body of each vase with a green ground, above and below with gi...

A wonderful French Baccarat style Dore bronze Ormolu swag & crystal / glass insert Basket centerpiece.

The front of the case exhibiting an exquisite hand painted panel depicting sprays of irises in shades of lavender, royal blue & green, set against a radiant white enamelled machined ...

An extraordinary and fantastic quality antique French Louis XVI style and sevres style pink ground three piece pot-pourri and four arm candelabra garniture set. This unusual and quit...

This neoclassical style marble and gilt bronze vase by Gherardo Degli Albizzi is made by monolithc pieces of marble and high quality chiseled bronzes. The highlights of this vase are...

A Pair of highly important and large Magnificent Antique French Louis XVI style figural gilt bronze mounted hand carved rouge marble multi arm candelabras of exquisite craftsmanship ...

Our important parcel-gilt and patinated silver and glass-mounted vase and matching oil lamp were designed by Paul Legrand (1840-1910) and crafted by the silversmith, Charles Glachant, for Boucheron of Paris, circa 1878-1880. 21 in tall and 16.5 in wide (53.4 by 41.9 cm). 28.56 lbs, 457 oz, 14,210 g. Provenance: presented to or purchased by Jean-Baptiste Pezon (1827-1897); acquired by a European private collector, perhaps on the death of Jean-Baptiste Pezon in 1897, by descent; acquired by YM Antiques, 2017. This double walled vase has an amphora form, with body and foot with silver, gilt and patinated and stylized flowers, anthemions and sprays of cherries against an etched and matted ground pierced to reveal a gilt inner wall. The upper body is detachable via a slip-lock, and mounted on both sides with arched panels formed of hexagonal beveled glass tiles. One glass panel applied with bacchic infants taunting a rearing goat and the other side with infants feeding grapes to a lioness under a looming bust of a satyr. The patinated and gilt upswung loop bifurcated handles are mounted with fully modeled figures of Pan bearing a syrinx and thyrsus and a draped maenad playing two flutes, both above roaring lion heads, the rim inset with a slip-lock detachable gilt bowl etched with masks of various representations of Bacchus spaced by ribbons and trophies and with scrolling fruiting vines. The base of interior with detachable base metal drip pan to accommodate the removable oil lamp designed to illuminate the glass tiles from within. The lamp is raised on four hoof feet, the upturned ends cast underneath with masks and with detachable cover mounted with two infant satyrs and flanked by gilt loop handles. The bacchic themed design featuring cartouches depicting infants taunting a goat and lion, plus prominent lion masks at the handles, certainly appealed to Boucheron's customer, Jean-Baptiste Pezon (1827-1897), who is believed to have commissioned the piece. Pezon was the celebrated lion tamer and headliner of the Grande Menagerie whose profession brought him great fame and fortune in Paris. Born a shepherd boy in Lozere, he is said to have left his home at the age of seventeen in the company of a wolf he had captured and trained years earlier. He headed to Paris and by the age of twenty-one purchased his first lion who he named Brutus. The animal is said to have inspired the Lion of Belfort, the monumental red standstone sculpture by Frederic Bartholdi erected in Belfort in 1880. Toulouse-Lautrec was among his admirers and friends, visiting Pezon's Great Lozerian Menagerie to sketch animals. A large bronze sculpture of Pezon atop a female lion adorns the Pezon family tomb in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, as seen in our image here. The vase and detachable bowl are marked on the underside with the silversmith's mark of Charles Glachant. The underside and upper rim of the lower body is engraved "Fic Boucheron Paris". The lamp is marked on underside and flange of cover for Glachant. Boucheron archives indicate the vase was inspired by the amphora vases created by the Greek potter, Nikosthenes, 550-510 BC. The Nikosthenic amphora vases are a form of Attic vase recognized for their angular amphora form with broad flat handles. Potted of bright orange-red clay, they were decorated with plant and animal motifs within distinct friezes, with the most significant defining feature being the black figure painting, often highlighted with white accents. In this vase Legrand re-imagines the striking contrast of the black figures against a warm ground through the use of patina and gilding. His inventive use of piercing and double-wall construction create additional levels of texture and depth throughout the body. The same combination of ornamentation was employed in a ewer designed by Legrand in 1880 in the Islamic taste. (See lot 77 of Christie's sale in New York on October 22, 2009.) Edmé Bouchardon (1698-1762), royal sculptor to Louis XV, may have provided Legrand with inspiration for the vase's iconography. The panel featuring bacchic infants taunting a rearing goat is very similar to a bas relief representation of Winter designed by Bouchardon for the Fontaine des Quarte-Saisons on rue de Grenelle, Paris. Bouchardon debuted his plaster model for the bas relief in 1741, and the fountain was completed in 1745. The Boucheron firm, founded by the celebrated jeweler, Frédéric Boucheron...

A fine French 19th-20th century Régence style gilt bronze mounted tulipwood parquetry regulator longcase clock, after the 18th century model by Julien Le Roy (French, 1686-1759) and ...

This Staffordshire Spaniel jug is impertinent, from his expression to his hopeful gaze. The eyes seem animated and almost lifelike. This jug is in excellent condition with bright red, white and green and gilt touches in the form of the pup's gold collar and locket. This item came solo from a large estate collection of Staffordshire pieces in Los Angeles. The spaniel was on his own and is looking for a friend, [possibly] or he can go it alone. The mark is worn away from the bottom of the piece. This antique Staffordshire jug...

Crystal and gilt bronze jardinière. France, late 19th century.

A very good quality French 19th Century Louis XVI style gilded ormolu and 'Severs' style pink porcelain mantel clock. In the form of a vase with an inset clock face, an eight day dur...

Table clock made of gilded bronze with a powerful base, enhanced with legs decorated with vegetal and architectural motifs of classicist inspiration and a series of details on the fr...

A beautiful pair of 19th century French Louis XVI style Sevres cobalt blue and ormolu-mounted vases with rams heads and wreaths. The porcelain body is beautifully painted with the signature Sevres Royal cobalt blue. The square shaped base is decorated with ormolu acanthus leaves and ribbon wreaths beautifully hand chizzeled and detailed ormolu work. These vases can easily be turned into a fabulous pair of...

This sumptuous red and gold clock was made during the Louis XV period of 18th century France, circa 1750. It is decorated in a beautiful red lacquer with roses and rose stems, attrib...

A Magnificent Pair of 19th Century French Lapis Lazuli Scagliola Vases with Ormolu Rope Mounts. Each is crafted from lapis lazuli scagliola and mounted with finely cast ormolu. They...

Large French Cut Crystal Rectangular Table Box, Attributed to Baccarat  France, 1900s A magnificent large French-cut crystal rectangular table box, attributed to Baccarat, France, c...

A fine antique English porcelain bowl or basin. Attributed to Worcester. Decorated throughout with grey and black floral Chinoserie decoration with gilt highlights. With a ...

This large and impressive gilt bronze mantel clock is by the French Michel-François Piolaine. The clock body is raised by an architecturally formed, plinth-shaped base, set to the fr...

A rare and exceptional finely painted vintage Imperial Russian lacquerware box. Exquisitely hand-crafted in the Palekhsky District (Палех) of wes...

Pair French bronze and ebonized wooden neoclassical athenienne centerpieces in the Louis XVI style.

Designed in a fanciful Louis XV style, this beautiful mantel clock takes the form of an Asian elephant, saddled with a howdah (carriage). The clock features a patinated sculpture of ...

A stylish Art Deco Egyptian Revival clock set featuring a central timepiece flanked by a pair of obelisks, this piece exudes the grandeur and mystique of the early 20th-century fasci...

A very fine pair English twin handled porcelain vases painted with flowers by renowned makers Grainger Worcester and dating from the 19th century. T...

Circa 1850 Chinese export papier mache footed tray. Exquisitely hand painted & gilded. Minor rubbing & darkening commensurate with age, material & use. Text worn away label intact. 7...

Antique French Sèvres-style ormolu mounted porcelain mantel clock French, 19th Century Height 50cm, diameter 21cm This superb 19th century porcelain clock...

American hanging Apothecary show globe with a mounted cast iron painted and gilded eagle. Globe was filled with a colorful green or red liquid to...

This exceptional large ruby red glass bowl set, complete with a matching lid, plate, and spoon, is a magnificent example of mid-19th-century Bohemi...

A very fine Louis XVI style figural mantel clock with matching flanking candelabra. The clock is bronze casted and has an ormolu f...

Antique silver cup or large Decorative food or fruit cup, pressed, cast and chased. Circular, curved feet with hinged. unstamped, tested with the scratch test, Height 14cm, Width 31c...

A stunning antique Moser turquoise crystal bowl with heavy floral gold gilding.

Antique 18th Century Bilston Enamel Etui / Sewing Box Case, decorated with pink enamel and gilt Rococo cartouche containing romantic figural and animal ...

An outstanding Antique French Napoleon III three piece bronze and marble clock garniture set, c. 1880, with a bronze surmount of a putto playing a bagpipe, over a drum clock...

A French mid-18th century Louis XV period walnut longcase grandfather clock from the Rhône Valley. This French tall walnut clock features a rectangular head topped with a bonnet pedi...

Czech Art Nouveau hand painted and gilded vase - featuring butterflies and flowers to the front - all on a rust ground with gilding to the inner rim ...

Rectangular rounded cigar box with vertical opening in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fine miniature hand-painted in tempera on vegetable iv...

While Napoleon's armies never conquered Russian, French taste did, and in a big way. This pair made at the Imperial Glass Workshop, under the Sponsorship of the Imperial Family would have been at home in a Paris drawing room as easily as in St. Petersburg. The Intense Ruby Red color of the Crystal is created by adding large quantities of gold to the molten glass before the object is created. The resulting color is dense yet full of light just like its namesake the precious jewel. The Dore bronze mounts use motifs taken from antiquity. Likewise, the shape of the handles is inspired by Greco-Roman amphora...

A fine pair of Louis XVI style chinoiserie gilt-bronze mounted Chinese export famille rose porcelain vases. The ovoid hand painted porcelain body with dual scenes of a sword presenta...

These truly exceptional and rare antique Louis XVI period vases have been sculpted from agate, a precious and highly sought-after stone. The vases are set on square agate bases with gilt bronze laurel wreath socles. The burgundy and claret agate bodies of the vases are mounted with gilt bronze acanthus leaf ornamentation, and twin lion masks joined by draped swags above. The lids of the vases are mounted with gilt bronze, surmounted by pine cone finials. The vases' design is attributed to the late 18th century, French clockmaker Martin Baffert. Baffert worked with a number of Parisian bronziers including Jean-Nicholas Fremont, Nicolas-Guillaume Jourdan and Francois-Robert Leguel, who assisted in the creation of his designs. This pair of vases is very similar to another pair of vases which Baffert designed, which form part of a clock garniture currently in the Rothschild collection at Waddesdon Manor. The Rothschild vases...