What are Grand Tour classical urns?

Grand Tour classical urns are nineteenth-century decorative items produced as keepsakes for European aristocracy, predominantly featuring design elements and motifs derived from ancient Roman and Greek archaeology.

What materials were traditionally used to create gilt bronze urns?

These vessels were typically constructed using gilt bronze, also known as ormolu, which was cast and hand-chased before being mounted onto carved marble, serpentine, or porphyry plinths.

How can one identify authentic nineteenth-century gilt bronze pieces?

Authentic period pieces display crisp hand-chased detail, heavy cast metal construction, natural wear or oxidisation to the gilded surface, and genuine marble bases with period-appropriate thread fittings.

How can classical urns be styled in a modern interior?

Positioning a symmetrical pair on a fireplace mantelpiece, sideboard top, or entrance console provides architectural balance and introduces historic texture into contemporary living spaces.

What is the recommended method for cleaning gilt bronze objects?

Dust gently using a soft dry natural-bristle brush or microfiber cloth, avoiding liquid polishes, water, or chemical cleaners that can strip the delicate gilded layer or stain the marble base.

for sale €1,492 $1,619

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Id #SA1213701

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Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

Name: Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1213701
Price: 1275 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

This is a remarkable pair of antique French Grand Tour ormolu and marble urns, circa 1860 in date.

These two-handled urns have been superbly cast in the ancient Roman campana shaped form and feature rich foliate ornamentation in high relief with winged cherubs riding swan drawn chariots raised on cylindrical Empress green marble pedestals with octagonal bases.

The attention to detail throughout is second to none and this pair of classical gilt bronze urns are sure to enhance great historical fascination wherever they are placed.

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 22 cm x Width 19.5 cm x Depth 11 cm

Dimensions in inches:Height 9 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 4 inches

The Grand Tour

was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary.

It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden.

The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom.

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: A5215

Physical Dimensions

Height

22cm (8.66")

Width

19.5cm (7.68")

Depth

11cm (4.33")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated these Gilt Bronze Classical Urns to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1213701

Dealers Internal Reference

A5215

Description

This is a remarkable pair of antique French Grand Tour ormolu and marble urns, circa 1860 in date.

These two-handled urns have been superbly cast in the ancient Roman campana shaped form and feature rich foliate ornamentation in high relief with winged cherubs riding swan drawn chariots raised on cylindrical Empress green marble pedestals with octagonal bases.

“

The attention to detail throughout is second to none and this pair of classical gilt bronze urns are sure to enhance great historical fascination wherever they are placed.

Regent Antiques

fig 1. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 1. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 22 cm x Width 19.5 cm x Depth 11 cm

Dimensions in inches:Height 9 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 4 inches

fig 2. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 2. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

The Grand Tour

was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary.

fig 3. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 3. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden.

fig 4. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 4. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

fig 5. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 5. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 19th C

The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom.

fig 6. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 6. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 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 7. A pair of nineteenth-century French gilt bronze classical urns featuring relief carvings and scroll handles, mounted on dark green marble bases. — fig 7. Antique Pair French Grand Tour Gilt Bronze Classical Urns 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: A5215