Regent Antiques has dated this piece to the 1850s.
Add an elegant touch to your home with this decorative pair of ormolu candle wall lights.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been cleaned in our workshops.
Please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 42 x Width 30 x Depth 15
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 4 inches x Width 1 foot x Depth 6 inches
Ormolu
(from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).
Our reference: A3070a
Regent Antiques has dated this piece to the 1850s.
We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Regent Antiques Profile Page
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Antique Pair Regency Revival Ormolu Wall Lights Appliques Mid 19th C
