Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 17

Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Two-Handled Pompeiian Cups circa 1875

$3,900per set
£2,956.30per set
€3,451.78per set
CA$5,462.79per set
A$6,149.33per set
CHF 3,253.71per set
MX$76,274.86per set
NOK 40,197.07per set
SEK 38,444.94per set
DKK 25,751.98per set
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

GRAND TOUR PAIR OF BRONZE IVY AND VINE BAS-RELIEF DECORATED TWO-HANDLED 'SCYPHUS' (OR 'SKYPHOS') CUPS ON BLACK MARBLE SOCLE AFTER ANTIQUITY Cast by the foundry of Auguste Delafontaine, undersides of handles cold-stamped "A D" surmounted by a star cast circa 1876-1884 Item # 406LWO03P An exceedingly beautiful and crisply cast pair of Grand Tour scyphus (or skyphos) cups modeled after the discoveries in Pompeii in 1835, they were a common Roman form and cups of similar in inspiration were found in a villa at Boscoreale near Pompeii that was likewise buried by Vesuvius during the eruption of AD 79 when it was excavated in 1895. Among the treasures there was a silver scyphus featuring embossed plane tree branches and leaves of similar form to the ivy on vines with seedlings discovered just a few kilometers away in 1835. Ivy was a common motif and its use in decoration and symbolism during the period is frequent. In the Works of Virgil, he writes speaking of a cup of similar decoration: "But what thou thyself shalt own of far greater value, since thou choosest to be mad, I will stake my beechen bowls, the carved work of divine Alcimedon,’ round which a curling vine, super- added by the skillful carver's art, mantles the clustering berries diffusely spread by the pale ivy." The present pair are raised each on a gorgeous polished black belgian marble column fluted around all sides with a cove-molded ring around the base over the squared footer with inverted corners. Note the extraordinary attention shown to the chiseling, chasing and stippling of the surface - it has been hand hammered extensively with fine engraved details throughout. The underside of the flat handles are stamped "A.D." surmounted by a star, which typically is seen between the years of 1876 and 1884. An exceedingly fine presentation. Measurements: 11 1/16" H x 5 1/2" D x 7 3/16" W (handles); cup is 4 3/4" H without the base Condition Report: Trace wear and discoloration to the natural oxidization and patina of the cups; inside of cups with discoloration and oxidization; very minor chipping and wear to the black marble pedestals; very fine presentation. About silla antiques & art Established in 2009, we have available in our 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery an ever-changing selection of carefully curated and catalogued furniture, decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and estate jewelry. Our company has long specialized in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 and as such the gallery always has a very large collection of exceptional European and American sculpture available on display. The gallery is located at 117 W Burd Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and is open by appointment only. We welcome your visit and would love to meet with you at the shop. For clients located outside of the area, we are always available to discuss items by video conferencing or by phone.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 11.06 in (28.1 cm)Width: 7.19 in (18.27 cm)Depth: 5.5 in (13.97 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    Grand Tour (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1880
  • Condition:
    Trace wear and discoloration to the natural oxidization and patina of the cups; inside of cups with discoloration and oxidization; very minor chipping and wear to the black marble pedestals; very fine presentation.
  • Seller Location:
    Shippensburg, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 406LWO03P1stDibs: LU1059040886712

More From This Seller

View All
Italian Grand Tour Antique Bronze Sculpture, Bust of Julius Caesar
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A finely cast and beautifully patinated bust of Julius Caesar, it likely originates from Rome circa the third quarter of the 19th century and rests over its original violet breché ma...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Bronze Sculpture of “Narcissus”
Located in Shippensburg, PA
RAND TOUR Italy, late 19th century "Narcissus" Patinated bronze cast by the Michele Amodio foundry of Naples, signed to base cast third quarter of 19th century Item # 406SKN07W ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Grand Tour Italian Antique Bronze Sculpture of Narcissus by Giorgio Sommer
By Giorgio Sommer
Located in Shippensburg, PA
GRAND TOUR Italy, late 19th century "Narcissus" Patinated bronze cast by the Giorgio Sommer foundry in Italy, original ink stamp to underside cast circa 1890-1910 stock ref. 406...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture Giuliano de Medici after the Antique, 19th century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
AFTER MICHELANGELO OF ANTIQUITY Grand Tour Model of Giuliano de Medici from the Medici Chapel in Florence Patinated sand-cast bronze numbered on the back corner "5505", otherwise u...
Category

Early 20th Century European Grand Tour Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Pair of French Bronze Antique Mythological Amphora Garnitures ca. 1880
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Ferdinand Levillain
Located in Shippensburg, PA
PAIR OF BAS-RELIEF MYTHOLOGICAL AMPHORA GARNITURES RAISED ON ROUGE MARBLE BASES Attributed to Ferdinand Levillain and Ferdinand Barbedienne unmarked executed circa 1880 Item # 604V...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Romantic Garniture

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Grand Tour Marble Sculpture Statue Bust of Venus de Milo after the Antique
Located in Shippensburg, PA
GRAND TOUR MODEL OF VENUS DE MILO AFTER ANTIQUITY Italian a late 19th to early 20th century copy of the original of Antiquity carved from a single block of Carrara marble unsigne...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

You May Also Like

Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Two-Handled Urns on Later Wooden Bases
Located in Worcester, GB
Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Two-Handled Urns on Later Wooden Bases Circa 1900 A decorative pair of cast bronze urns, likely produced around 1900 in the tradition of Grand Tour pieces....
Category

Early 20th Century European Urns

Materials

Bronze

A Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Tazzas on Sienna Marble Plinths
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of Grand Tour bronze tazzas raised on stepped sienna marble plinths and mounted on sienna marble bases with bronze molding. Circa 1820, Italy.
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Urns

Materials

Siena Marble, Bronze

A Pair of Grand Tour Neoclassical Tazze Marble and Patinated Bronze
Located in Wiscasset, ME
A nice pair of mid-19th century Grand Tour tazze or marble and patinated bronze. 7½ h × 6 dia in each In very good condition and ready to display.
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Grand Tour Garniture

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair of Grand Tour 'Néo-Grec' Gilt Bronze Vases, Attributed, F. Barbedienne
By F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Grand Tour 'Néo-Grec' gilt bronze vases, Attributed, F. Barbedienne Each one with typical all over decoration, with applied handles with lion masks. Unmarked. Each vase sta...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Grand Tour Vases

Materials

Bronze

PAIR OF ANTIQUE 1870 GRAND TOUR BRONZE MARBLE CLODION BACCHANALIA CASSOLETTEs
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely exquisite pair of 1870 Grand Tour Bronze, Gilt Bronze and Marble Bacchahalia Cassolettes after Cloudio A very finely cast and finished pair of Napoleon III period vasiform urns, they are an exquisite sand-cast creation utilizing bronze and gilt bronze to create an extraordinary contrast between materials. The body of the vase is rich in a dark-brown patina that positively glows around the bas-relief Bacchanalia scene of putto playing a tug-of-war type game, carrying wine glasses and bunches of grapes and one walking with a thrysus raised over his shoulder while roaring animal heads flank either end with polished bronze garlands of water-leaves and berries draped between. The lids and necks are crafted of gilt bronze, which gives a cooler tone to the brilliant shine of the metal. The urns are raised over a shaped marble base and finished over a polished bronze rim affixed on the underside with slotted screws. After the models by Claude Michel Clodion. For those of you that are unaware the “Grand Tour” was something educated young people did in the 18th and 19th century to learn and further educate themselves on other cultures, they would pick up small medium and large trinkets as memories of the journey which would sit in pride of place in their library or study as conversation pieces when friends and relatives would visit, they basically proved you were well educated, well travelled and a person of culture. These pair are large, decorative and very important looking pieces of Italian Grand Tour art...
Category

Antique 1870s Italian Grand Tour Urns

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair of Antique Bronze Grand Tour Townley Vases
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A matching pair of 19th century bronze Grand Tour scale models of the Townley Vase, after the marble 2nd century Roman antique. Circa 1870, these antique urns are in good condition,...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Neoclassical Urns

Materials

Metal, Bronze