Ormolu Furniture
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Material: Ormolu
French 19th century Louis XVI st. Ormolu and Saxe Porcelain Bouillotte lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A charming and most decorative French 19th century Louis XVI st. Ormolu and Saxe Porcelain Bouillotte lamp. This elegant lamp is raised on a circular pierced Ormolu base adorned with...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Statue of a Pheasant
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and large scale French 19th century patinated bronze and ormolu statue of a pheasant signed Jules Moigniez. The bronze is elevated above a mottled oval shaped ormolu base....
Category
19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of French Early 19th Century Louis XV Style Ormolu Two-Arm Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most attractive pair of French early 19th century Louis XV style ormolu two arm sconces. Each sconce has a French Revolution theme on the tapered back plate. The back plate is richly decorated by a mount with flags behind a full armor, while at the top is a soldiers helmet...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French Ormolu and Green Marble Mantel Clock, Maple & Co, Paris
By Samuel Marti
Located in Norwich, GB
Ormolu And Green Marble Mantel Clock, Maple & Co Ltd, Paris
Ormolu and Verde marble mantel clock depicting a beautifully cast maiden studying her ...
Category
1880s French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th century Louis XVI st. Opaline Glass and Ormolu chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant and high quality French 19th century Louis XVI st. Opaline Glass and Ormolu chandelier. This most unique six armed chandelier is centered at the bottom by a large and ...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Charles X St. Bronze, Ormolu and Sienna Marble Inkwell
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant French 19th century Charles X st. patinated bronze, ormolu and Sienna marble inkwell. The inkwell is raised by a rectangular Sienna marble base. The pedestal displays an e...
Category
19th Century French Charles X Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Ormolu Clock Signed Cheuret À Marseilles
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An extremely decorative and large scale French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu clock signed Cheuret à Marseilles. The clock is raised on topie feet below a straight frieze with pro...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of Monumental Gilt Bronze and Glass Floor Standing Candelabra
Located in London, GB
Pair of monumental gilt bronze and glass floor standing candelabra
Crafted in the neoclassical style, this pair of floor-standing candelab...
Category
20th Century French Neoclassical Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$82,337 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Rare Late 19th Century Dressing Gilt Bronze Mounted Dressing Table
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Rare Late 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Dressing Table
The top lifts to reveal a beautifully fitted and inlaid interior with swing out panels and beveled mirror....
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
A French Japanism Orientalist Mixed-Metal Peacock Centerpiece/Tray, by E. Cornu
By Eugène Cornu
Located in New York, NY
A Marvelous and Quite Unusual French Japanism Orientalist Mixed-Metal Peacock-Form Centerpiece/Tray, by EUGENE CORNU. Made by Parisian sculptor Eugene Cornu. The bashful peacock bo...
Category
1880s French Japonisme Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu, Silver Leaf
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Buffet and Matching Vitrine Cabinets
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning French 19th century Louis XVI st. mahogany, ormolu, and Rosso Levanto marble buffet and matching vitrine cabinets, likely by Mercier Frere...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Mahogany and Ormolu Mounted Desk by Grimard
By G. Grimard
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century Louis XVI style mahogany and ormolu-mounted writing table by G. Grimard "Meubles d'Art" 5 rue de Charonne, Paris. After a model by Adam Weisweiler (Fr...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$14,625 Sale Price
25% Off
Early 19th century bronze campana-shaped urns
Located in London, GB
A large pair of early 19th century bronze campana-shaped urns, having flower moulded and beaded rims, above scrolled carrying handles and acanthus decoration below, raised on fluted ...
Category
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
$5,489 / set
Pair of Victorian Period Amboyna Cabinets with Sèvres Style Porcelain Plaques
By Hobbs & Co.
Located in London, GB
Pair of Victorian period amboyna cabinets with Sèvres style porcelain plaques
English, late 19th century
Dimensions: Height 108cm, width 77cm, depth 47cm
This unusual and superb...
Category
Late 19th Century English Rococo Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$60,380 Sale Price / set
20% Off
French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Griotte Marble Center Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sensational French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu and Rouge Griotte marble circular center table. The table is raised by a thick triangular Rouge Griotte marble base with mo...
Category
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Louis XV Style French Jardinière / Plant Stand
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine early 19th century French Kingwood, ormolu-mounted jardinière, the shaped rectangular removable leather top lifts up to reveal a zinc liner, this leads down to a fine qua...
Category
Early 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Regency Rosewood and Ormolu-Mounted Library Table
Located in New York, NY
The rectangular top with rounded corners over an ormolu egg-and-dart mounted edge and paneled frieze fitted with one drawer; raised on standard end supports...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Antique French Sèvres Style Porcelain Ormolu Gilt Bronze Dore Vase Centerpiece
Located in Dublin, Ireland
Stunning imposing Pair of French Sevres Style Soft Paste Porcelain and Ormolu Twin Handle Electric Table Lamps of traditional bulbous form, and of good size proportions, raised on a ...
Category
19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Unusual Ormolu and Porcelain Clock Set
Located in London, GB
Comprising a central clock and a pair of flanking vases, the clock with central dial set in a panel of porcelain imitating champlevé enamel with geometric design on turquoise ground...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$16,467 / set
Fine Ormolu & Cut Crystal Circular Form Flower Epergne by F&C Osler
Located in Steyning, West sussex
A fine ormolu flower epergne with scroll banding supported on paw feet stamped Osler segmented in four sections, each with five posy vases of various sizes with flat diamond cut bodi...
Category
1870s Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
19th Century French Louis XV Rococo Style Ormolu & Porcelain Mantle Clock
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine and most attractive 19th century French Louis XV Rococo Style ormolu and porcelain mantle clock, modelled as an urn with floral finial and goat head masks to the sides, o...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French Early 19th Century Louis XV St. Sèvres Porcelain and Ormolu Inkwell
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful and exceptionally high quality French early 19th century Louis XV st. Sèvres Porcelain and ormolu inkwell, signed Sèvres. The inkwell is raised by striking pierced scrolled foliate ormolu movements in a most decorative satin and burnished finished. At the center is the finely detailed Sèvres Porcelain tray...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Louis XVI Style Ormolu and Marble Mantel Clock
Located in London, GB
This neoclassical style French mantel clock is crafted from patinated and gilt bronze in addition to flecked black and grey marble. The clock body is formed from a lopsidedly mounted...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
$10,429 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Porcelain and Ormolu Lidded Vases in the Sèvres Style
Located in London, GB
Pair of porcelain and ormolu lidded vases in the Sèvres style
French, Late 19th Century
Height 93cm, width 52cm, depth 41cm
This beautiful pair of vases are crafted in the highly so...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$60,380 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Antique French Empire Style Marquetry Inlay Chest Commode
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique French Empire Style Marquetry Inlay Commode Chest of Drawers
Gorgeous French Empire style commode/chest of drawers featuring intricate inlaid marquetry with a finely detaile...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Gilt Bronze and Malachite Louis XVI Clock
Located in London, GB
Gilt bronze and malachite Louis XVI clock
French, late 18th century
Measures: Height 69cm, width 36cm, depth 13.5cm
This fine Louis XVI mantel clock is wrought from malachite and gilt bronze. The malachite veneer is a later, beneficial refinishing. The clock features a plinth-form malachite base supporting four malachite columns, each with a gilt bronze capital. The columns raise an ornately shaped top, which is inset with a circular white enamel dial and is surmounted by urn-form finials. Beneath the dial is suspended an ornately cast and finished gilt bronze drapery...
Category
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Malachite, Ormolu
$13,173 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of French Baroque Style French Dragon Andirons
Located in Pembroke, MA
A pair of highly decorative French gilt-bronze andirons or chenets, with attached iron bars (circa 1870), in the form of fanciful dragons, with foliate berry, acanthus leaves and oth...
Category
19th Century French Baroque Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Iron, Brass, Bronze
Vintage Louis Revival Marquetry Commode Chest 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning Louis revival marble topped 'bombe' marquetry commode, dating from the last quarter of the 20th century.
This beautiful commode is made from walnut, wood and fea...
Category
1990s English Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Very Fine Gilt Bronze, Cloisonné Enamel and Porcelain Holy Water Stoup
Located in London, GB
A very fine gilt bronze, cloisonné enamel and porcelain holy water stoup
French, late 19th century
Measures: Height 54cm, width 34cm, depth 9cm
This b...
Category
Late 19th Century French Renaissance Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu
$16,467 Sale Price
20% Off
Palatial Set of Four French 19thCentury Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Wall-Lights
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Palatial Set of Four French 19th-20th Century Louis XVI Style Neoclassical Gilt-Bronze Three-Light Wall Lights (Sconces). The tall elongated ormolu sconces with a back plate in the...
Category
Early 1900s French Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
$28,950 Sale Price / set
34% Off
Fine Quality Pair of Sèvres Style Ormolu-Mounted Porcelain Urns with Cherubs
Located in New York, NY
A fine quality pair of Sèvres style ormolu-mounted porcelain urns with cherubs and flowers.
Origin: French
Late 19th-early 20th century
Measure: H...
Category
19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Ormolu Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu sconces. Each three arm sconce is centered by a lovely bottom foliate finial below the beautiful scrolled central supp...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Empire period bronze and ormolu Grecian style pair of classical urns, circa 1830
Located in Central England, GB
This superb quality pair of French Empire classical twin handled urns is very stylish and cast in very heavy solid bronze with alternate sections highlighted with original ormolu whi...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
pair of Chinese 18th century Porcelain and French Louis XVI st. Ormolu lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and most decorative pair of Chinese 18th century Famille Rose Porcelain and French Louis XVI st. Ormolu mounted lamps. Each most elegant vase mounted into a lamp is rais...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. Sévres Porcelain and Ormolu urns
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A delightful and most elegant pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. Sévres Porcelain and Ormolu urns. Each stunning urns is raised by a tall square Ormolu plinth with cut out cor...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze-Mounted Kingwood Writing Desk
Located in London, GB
This beautiful desk, beautifully finished in kingwood, leather and gilt bronze, is a fantastic piece of 19th century French design in the Louis XV style. Elegant, beautifully crafted...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$16,467 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Louis XVI style Mantel Clock
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality French 19th century Rococo gilded ormolu mantel clock. The eight day movement, chimes on the hour and half hour.
Category
19th Century French Rococo Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze-Mounted Bois-Satiné Writing Table
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
A fine French kidney shaped bureau plat desk, having an inset beige leather top. Two side drawers over cabriole legs with ormolu mounts.
Category
1940s French Louis XV Vintage Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Ormolu and Baccarat Crystal Vase
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu and Baccarat crystal vase. The vase is raised by a beautiful mottled ormolu base with fine wrap around berried laurel and foli...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Marble, Bronze and Ormolu Vases
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and most unusual pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. Black Belgian marble, silvered bronze and ormolu vases. The pair are raised by a mottled Black Belgian marble ...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Marble Topped Hardwood Dresser with Neoclassical Marquetry
Located in London, GB
Antique marble topped hardwood dresser with neoclassical marquetry.
French, late 19th century
Dimensions: Height 85.5cm, width 79cm, depth 40c...
Category
Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
$4,940 Sale Price
20% Off
Large 19th Century Chinese Porcelain and French Figural Ormolu Centerpiece
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and large 19th century Chinese porcelain and French figural ormolu-mounted Chinoiserie style centerpiece. The circular ovoid bowl, maybe 18th century Jiaqing period (unve...
Category
19th Century French Chinoiserie Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$23,250 Sale Price
51% Off
Antique French Blue Enameled Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This is a very petite little jewel of an enameled box. The interior fabric has not been replaced. The ormolu and enameling is finely rendered.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
18th-Century Gilt Bronze & Egitto Serpentino Urn After Pierre Gouthière
Located in New Orleans, LA
This 18th-century gilt bronze & Egitto Serpentino urn is modeled after the opulent design of one of the last gilders of the Versailles Court, Pierre Gouthière. An identical urn is he...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
A Large 19th C French Ormolu Mounted Footed Prismatic Crystal Box, Domed top
By Baccarat
Located in New York, NY
A Beautiful and Quite Large 19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Footed Crystal Box. The top crystal is domed and sits on a hinged ormolu mount with a seashell clasp. The crystal is ...
Category
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu
$11,720 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Pair French Louis Revival Marble & Ormolu Occasional Tables 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful antique pair of French Louis Revival ormolu mounted side tables, early 20th Century in date.
The shaped "Rosso Levanto Marble" marble tops are framed with ormolu...
Category
Early 20th Century Revival Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Japanese Imari Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Clock Set
Located in London, GB
This clock set contains three pieces: namely, a mantel clock and a pair of flanking candelabra. The mantel clock is designed about a Japanese porcelain vase, known as Imari ware. This white ground vase, painted in reds and blues and ornamented with foliate forms, functions as the clock case, the dial centrally mounted and encompassed by Rococo style gilt bronze motifs. This vase is supported by a gilt bronze base, which is profusely ornamented with gilt bronze acanthus leaves, garlands, and, most distinctly, a pair of putti. The vase is mounted with lion head handles to each side, also of gilt bronze, while the lid of the vase is topped by a gilt bronze finial in the form of a putto.
The candelabra are similarly decorated and of similar construction, each one being built about a smaller Imari...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$49,402 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Pair Of Ormolu Mounted Sèvres-style Bouquet Candelabras
Located in New York, NY
An stunning pair of bouquet vase six light candelabras with branches modeled after fresh lilies and poppies. A set of crisply cast and expertly modeled mythological mermaid figures w...
Category
19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Gold Leaf
19th Century French Ormolu Gilt Bronze Bird Sculpture Pheasant
Located in Greven, DE
Antique French Animalier Gold Ormolu Gilt Bronze Bird Figure Sculpture Pheasant
French
Ormolu (Gilt Bronze)
Late 19th Century
Dimensions: H x W x D: 13cm x 20cm x 4.5cm
This fi...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Antique French Bronze and Ormolu Mantel Clock
Located in London, GB
This large mantel clock is an excellent piece of refined neoclassical design by the acclaimed Deniere et Fils firm. Deniere was one of the leading ...
Category
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$38,423 Sale Price
20% Off
Pr. 19th C. French Ormolu Mounted Regence Chinese Celadon Crackle Centerpieces
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Early 19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Regence Chinese Celadon Crackle Centerpieces/Bowls. This pair of early 19th-century French ormolu-mounted centerpieces features fi...
Category
1820s French Regency Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Set of Four Late 18th Century Neoclassical Ormolu Wall Sconces
By François Rémond
Located in Essex, MA
Rare Set of Four Period French Directoire or Le Premier Empire Sconces. Two arm wall lights in the Late 18th Century Neoclassical form. Dull and Burnished Fire Gilding. Extreme de...
Category
Late 18th Century French Directoire Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of Important First Empire Period Ormolu Sconces
By Percier & Fontaine
Located in Essex, MA
Period ormolu sconces in First Empire, imperial Russian, realistic lion mask form
--Percier and fontaine designed lion mask being impaled by th...
Category
Early 1800s Russian Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th century Ormolu and black marble centerpiece, signed Barbedienne
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome and high quality French 19th century Louis XVI st. Ormolu and black Belgian marble centerpiece, signed F. Barbedienne. This stunning centerpiece/tazza is raised on a circu...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Belgian Black Marble, Ormolu
Pair of Empire Ormolu and Patinated Bronze Figural Ten-Light Candelabra
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent pair of Empire ormolu and patinated bronze figural ten-light candelabra
Date: 19th century
Origin: French
Size: 40 inches high.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Ormolu Sconces, Attributed to Dasson
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful and high quality true pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu two arm sconces of Bacchus and Ariadne, after a model by Gilles-Marie Oppenordt and attributed to H...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of Empire Style Mahogany & Gilt-Bronze Bergères, Manner of Jacob-Desmalter
By François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Fine Pair of Mahogany And Gilt-Bronze Bergères in the Manner of Jacob-Desmalter. The Bergères each having armrests headed by finely cast caryatid herms.
French, Circa 1880.
François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter (1770-1841) was Napoléon’s pre-eminent court cabinetmaker. He built up the business of his father, the well-known chairmaker Georges Jacob, into one of the most important and successful furniture workshops in Paris which by 1808 employed 332 workmen producing annually furniture valued at 700,000 francs.
Jacob-Desmalter et Cie produced neoclassical Empire style furniture often working to Percier and Fontaine's designs, such as for Napoléon’s throne...
Category
19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Antique Ormolu Mounted Dressing Table by Zwiener Jansen Successer
Located in London, GB
Antique ormolu mounted dressing table by Zwiener Jansen Successeur
French, c. 1900
Height 153cm, width 134cm, depth 63cm
Superbly crafted by the renowned French firm Zwiener Jans...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$49,402 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique French Ormolu Mounted Escritoire Writing Bureau
Located in London, GB
An absolutely stunning antique French ormolu mounted escritoire writing bureau, dating from around the 1890-1910 period.
It is of outstanding quality, with beautiful hand painted im...
Category
1890s British Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Grand Tour Benedetto Boschetti Bronzed Male Bust of Ajax Greek Mythological Hero
Located in Dublin, Ireland
A very impressive & superbly cast patinated bronzed metal bust of Ajax Turning to Dexter, of generous proportions, after the Antique, attributed to Benedetto Boschetti (1820-1860). M...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Grand Tour Antique Ormolu Furniture
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Ormolu Clocks, Lamps and Other Furniture and Decorative Objects for Sale
Antique ormolu furniture and decorative objects can be incorporated into a variety of spaces, and while demand for the material and/or technique was at its peak in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, ormolu is still widely loved by designers and collectors today.
What is ormolu?
Ormolu is a brilliant form of decorative trickery. To the untrained eye, ormolu clocks, jewelry boxes and other ormolu furniture and decor look like they're made of solid gold. But those in the know recognize ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — as having been essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
“Most commonly, ormolu refers to a bronze object that has been covered with gold, typically 18 karat or 24 karat,” explains Jamie Sinai, director of the antiques specialist Mayfair Gallery, in London. “For that reason, ormolu is sometimes called gilt bronze or, in French, bronze doré. Strictly speaking, however, the term ormolu also denotes the technique of applying gold to a metal.”
“The word comes from the French or moulu, which translates as ‘ground or powdered gold’ — the form the gold takes before it is applied to a metal surface.”
From the court of King Louis XVI to that of Napoleon I, the French elite snapped up furniture mounted with ormolu, as well as sconces, candelabra and table lamps made from the material. “As the French reputation for supreme art, architecture and furniture developed, the craze for ormolu spread across Europe,” adds Sinai.
Today, antiques collectors and interior designers continue to prize ormolu for its extraordinary craftsmanship and history-infused glamour.
“This wondrous material was highly sought after in France as the ultimate luxury. It magically resembled solid gold and sparkled under candlelight,” says Sinai.
Find antique ormolu furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
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