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ID #SA1208503
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£800
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Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880
For sale by Regent Antiques
for sale €936     $1,016
£800
Regent Antiques

Regent Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2016
Browse dealers 653 items
  • About Us
    We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
  • Trade Associations
    Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA  CINOA
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Id #SA1208503
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Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

19th century
For Sale by Regent Antiques
Description

This is an elegant pair of antique French Louis Revival ormolu gilt wall-light sconces, C 1880 in date.

Each wall light features a column fluted backplate with a flaming urn crest supporting two elaborate acanthus scrolling arms terminating in circular rose bud drip trays and sconces.

Add some French extravagance to your home with these beautiful wall lights.

Condition:

In excellent condition having been cleaned, fully rewired and tested.

Please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:Height 38 cm x Width 28 cm x Depth 13 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 3 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 5 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: A5087a

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated these French Ormolu Wall Sconces to the 1880s.

Independent Date Check ID 09459521
Dealer's Item Date1880s
Sellingantiques Date1880s
Sellingantiques agingItem 125-160 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1880s:
Castings with hand-tooled leaf work: high-standard French decorative bronze casting.
Original mounting holes pierced through the finials: traditional nineteenth-century wall-fixing design.
Arms fitted to the backplate with separate jointed collars: multi-piece historic assembly.
Natural darkening gathered in the fluting recesses: gradual oxidisation over many decades.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
38cm (14.96")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
13cm (5.12")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1208503
Dealers Internal Reference
A5087a
Description
This is an elegant pair of antique French Louis Revival ormolu gilt wall-light sconces, C 1880 in date.
“
Each wall light features a column fluted backplate with a flaming urn crest supporting two elaborate acanthus scrolling arms terminating in circular rose bud drip trays and sconces.
Regent Antiques
fig 1. A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
fig 1. Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

Add some French extravagance to your home with these beautiful wall lights.

Condition:

In excellent condition having been cleaned, fully rewired and tested.

Please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:Height 38 cm x Width 28 cm x Depth 13 cm

fig 2. A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
fig 2. Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 3 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 5 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'.

fig 3. A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
fig 3. Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

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.

fig 4. A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
fig 4. Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

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: A5087a

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated these French Ormolu Wall Sconces to the 1880s.

Independent Date Report ID 09459521
Dealer's Item Date1880s
Sellingantiques dating1880s
Sellingantiques agingItem 125-160 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1880s:
Castings with hand-tooled leaf work: high-standard French decorative bronze casting.
Original mounting holes pierced through the finials: traditional nineteenth-century wall-fixing design.
Arms fitted to the backplate with separate jointed collars: multi-piece historic assembly.
Natural darkening gathered in the fluting recesses: gradual oxidisation over many decades.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
38cm (14.96")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
13cm (5.12")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1208503
Dealers Internal Ref
A5087a
Regent Antiques
Regent Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2016

We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Regent Antiques Profile Page

Trade Associations

Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA  CINOA

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
1 / 7
Archive I A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.

Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880

Archive II A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View II
Archive III A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View III
Archive IV A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View IV
Archive V A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View V
Archive VI A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View VI
Archive VII A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves. View VII
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Regent Antiques

Regent Antiques
Telephone 020 8809 9605 or 020 8802 3900
Location
Manor Warehouse
318 Green Lanes
London
N4 1BX
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/regentantiques
Verified Since Sep 2016
Items For Sale 653
Items Sold 2,699
Regent Antiques
Regent Antiques
Verified Since Sep 2016
View Dealer Info
Location: Manor Warehouse, 318 Green Lanes, London, N4 1BX, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/regentantiques
Verified
Sep 2016
For Sale
653
Sold
2,699
A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
Antique Pair of French Louis Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1880
Ref: SA1208503
A pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights with fluted backplates and cream candle sleeves.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectWall Lights
  • Period19th century
  • StyleLouis XVI Revival
  • MaterialOrmolu, Gilt Bronze
  • ColourGold
  • MotifsTwo-branch design, Fluted backplate, Acanthus leaf details, Tapered urn form
  • SizeH 38 cm (15 in) x W 28 cm (11 in) x D 13 cm (5 in)

This pair of antique French Louis XVI style two-branch ormolu wall lights originates from 1880. Formed from gilt bronze with a bright gold finish and cream-coloured candle sleeves, each sconce exhibits a fluted backplate, a flaming urn crest, acanthus leaf scrolling arms, and circular rosebud drip trays. The pieces measure 38 cm high, 28 cm wide, and 13 cm deep, and have been fully cleaned, rewired, and tested for contemporary use. Position these wall lights above a sideboard or console table in a formal dining room or hallway to provide functional ambient illumination. They complement traditional period interiors and French chateau-inspired schemes, attaching securely to vertical wall surfaces to bring warm metallic reflection and classical symmetry to living spaces.

FAQs

Louis XVI Revival wall lights feature neoclassical motifs influenced by classical antiquity, including fluted column backplates, urn finials, acanthus leaves, and symmetrical twin-arm branches. Popularised during the late 19th century, these fixtures emulate the refined proportions and gilded craftsmanship of 18th-century French court designs.

Ormolu sconces were created using the chase-and-gild process, where bronze was cast using lost-wax or sand-casting techniques, meticulously hand-chased to sharpen ornamental details, and subsequently fire-gilded with a gold-mercury amalgam to create a durable, lustrous surface.

Authentic period pieces display crisp hand-chased details on the foliage and fluting, noticeable weight due to solid cast bronze construction, and signs of hand-tooling or threaded assembly on the reverse. Additionally, original gilding often exhibits subtle tonal variation and gentle age-related patination in recessed areas.

Gilt wall sconces can be mounted alongside contemporary artwork, placed above a sideboard, or installed in framing pairs within hallways and dining spaces. Pairing metallic period lighting with neutral, textured walls creates a balanced contrast between historical ornamentation and modern minimalism.

Ormolu finishes should be dusted regularly with a soft, dry microfibre cloth or natural bristle brush. Harsh chemical cleaners, brass polishes, and abrasive materials must be avoided, as they strip the delicate gilded layer; persistent dirt can be gently lifted using cotton swabs lightly dampened with distilled water and mild soap.
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