Antique French Marble and Brass Urns, Pair, Circa 1900
Antique French Marble and Brass Urns, Pair, Circa 1900
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A pair of French marble urns with gilded brass mounts, made around 1900 as the side pieces for a mantel clock set. The tops are sealed, so these were never meant to hold water or flowers. What I like most is how they are built. Each urn is a series of separately turned marble sections stacked and tightened onto one threaded rod that runs up from the base, which is why you can see the joins in the stone. All eight brass feet are present.
Both urns are in good condition for their age and are structurally sound. All eight brass feet are present and the marble sections sit tight on their rods.
The gilding shows wear, and most of it is on the back. On the reverse the swags and the fan shaped side mounts are rubbed through to the brass underneath in places, with some darkening. One of the two is more worn than the other. The front of each urn, which is the face you would display, has held its gold much better.
The two brass necks do not match in tone. One is browner and darker than the other. Both have old tarnish and fine scratches, and the inside of the necks shows oxidation and residue. None of this has been cleaned or polished and I would leave it that way.
There are no chips to the brass rims and no chips to the base corners. One base has a shallow loss along the lower angled edge at the back, running about an inch, with a slightly rougher granular patch at one end. There are also two small surface pits nearby, one on the top face and one on the angled edge. All of this sits low and at the back and disappears once the pair is set out facing forward. It reads as old handling wear rather than a fresh break.
The marble figuring is not identical between the two. One has more orange and gold banding, the other more grey and pink. This is normal in natural stone and they were never cut to match perfectly. On one urn a join between marble sections does not sit perfectly flush, which is inherent to the stacked construction.
The undersides show the exposed end of the threaded rod, tool marks, and some staining. This is how these were made and finished.
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