What characterises the Louis XVI Revival style in antique lighting?

The Louis XVI Revival style, popular during the mid-to-late 19th century, draws inspiration from classical antiquity. Lighting from this era incorporates Neoclassical elements such as amphora and urn shapes, laurel garlands, ribbon bows, and symmetrical foliage mounts crafted from gilt bronze.

Which materials were traditionally used to construct 19th-century French table lamps?

High-grade French table lamps of the 19th century typically feature bases carved from natural decorative stones, such as breccia or statuary marble, combined with cast and hand-chased gilt bronze (ormolu) mounts and handles.

How can you identify an authentic 19th-century ormolu mounted marble lamp?

Authentic pieces exhibit heavy cast bronze mounts with crisp hand-chased surface details, natural variation in the stone, and thread patterns on internal rods consistent with 19th-century manufacturing. Many examples were originally constructed as decorative vases or oil lamps and converted to electricity during the 20th century.

How should a French classical urn lamp be styled in modern interiors?

A classical marble and ormolu lamp serves as a focal point when placed on a minimalist sideboard, console table, or bedside chest. Pairing the lamp with a simple tailored silk or linen shade creates a visual balance between historical ornament and contemporary clean lines.

What is the correct procedure for cleaning and preserving marble and ormolu lamps?

Dust surfaces regularly with a soft, dry brush or microfiber cloth. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners, polish, or water on original ormolu, as these can strip the fragile gilt layer, and clean natural marble using only pH-neutral stone cleaners.

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Marble Table Lamp

Classical Urn Lamp

Ormolu Mounted Lamp

Nineteenth Century Lamp

Id #SA1017587

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Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Name: Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1017587
Price: 1700 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

A beautiful French Louis XVI revival ormolu mounted marble table lamp, Circa 1860 in date.

This beautiful ormolu mounted boldly veined breche violette mable table lamp is decorated with superb ormolu swan handles and rococo decoration, is of baluster form and is raised on a shaped square base with anthemion beading.

Later converted to electricity from an antique urn.

This is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship, a truly elegant piece. This lamp deserves pride of place in any furniture collection and will become the central focus point in your room.

Condition:

In excellent working condition the ormolu having been beautifully cleaned and the lamp professionally rewired, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 47 x Width 19 x Depth 19

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 6 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches

Violet Breche marble is extracted from the town of Serravezza, near to the Carrara region in Italy. It is a very heterogeneous marble made up of hues going from white to dark violet, whilst passing through shades of pink, all combined together with a violet-coloured cement.

Violet Breche is very similar to the Breche of Serravezza, where the cement is grey rather than violet.

Violet Breche is found in the same place as Fleur de Pêcher marble.

In his Dictionary of Business and Industry, Blanqui describes Violet Breche. “This marble that is frequently used on the most beautiful churches in Italy, and is found on several tables and columns in the galleries of the Louvre Museum, offers an elegant detail to monumental architecture. The quarries that produce it are several miles from Serravezza, and are found in the commune of Stazzema. When the fragments which make up Violet Breche are large, in other words, when the lilacs, pinks, and whites, are prominent, it can only be used for monumental architecture, but when the colours are less prominent and equally spread across the whole surface of the marble, it can be used to make fireplaces and luxurious furniture.”

Ormolu - Gilt Bronze (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.

Our reference: A3490

Physical Dimensions

Height

47cm (18.50")

Width

19cm (7.48")

Depth

19cm (7.48")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated this Ormolu Marble Table Lamp to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1017587

Dealers Internal Reference

A3490

Description

A beautiful French Louis XVI revival ormolu mounted marble table lamp, Circa 1860 in date.

This beautiful ormolu mounted boldly veined breche violette mable table lamp is decorated with superb ormolu swan handles and rococo decoration, is of baluster form and is raised on a shaped square base with anthemion beading.

fig 1. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 1. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Later converted to electricity from an antique urn.

This is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship, a truly elegant piece.

“

This lamp deserves pride of place in any furniture collection and will become the central focus point in your room.

Regent Antiques

fig 2. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 2. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Condition:

In excellent working condition the ormolu having been beautifully cleaned and the lamp professionally rewired, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 47 x Width 19 x Depth 19

fig 3. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 3. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 6 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches

Violet Breche marble is extracted from the town of Serravezza, near to the Carrara region in Italy. It is a very heterogeneous marble made up of hues going from white to dark violet, whilst passing through shades of pink, all combined together with a violet-coloured cement.

fig 4. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 4. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Violet Breche is very similar to the Breche of Serravezza, where the cement is grey rather than violet.

Violet Breche is found in the same place as Fleur de Pêcher marble.

In his Dictionary of Business and Industry, Blanqui describes Violet Breche. “This marble that is frequently used on the most beautiful churches in Italy, and is found on several tables and columns in the galleries of the Louvre Museum, offers an elegant detail to monumental architecture. The quarries that produce it are several miles from Serravezza, and are found in the commune of Stazzema. When the fragments which make up Violet Breche are large, in other words, when the lilacs, pinks, and whites, are prominent, it can only be used for monumental architecture, but when the colours are less prominent and equally spread across the whole surface of the marble, it can be used to make fireplaces and luxurious furniture.”

fig 5. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 5. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

Ormolu - Gilt Bronze (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'.

fig 6. A 19th-century French Louis XVI Revival table lamp crafted from veined purple and white marble with gilded bronze swan handles, floral garlands, and a square plinth base. — fig 6. Antique French Louis Xvi Revival Ormolu Mounted Marble Table Lamp C1860 19th C

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.

Our reference: A3490

Physical Dimensions

Height

47cm (18.50")

Width

19cm (7.48")

Depth

19cm (7.48")

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated this Ormolu Marble Table Lamp to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Ref