What we have here is an impressive, substantial and very rare example of a large scale 19th century italian Grand Tour carved white Carrara statuary marble Roman labrum. Classic egg and dart rim border with central gadrooned bowl and stylised central flower finial. Four superbly modelled swans to each corner. Beautifully fluted spreading stem and carved block base. Discovered in a orangery of a west country manor house where it had been used as a planter for many years. We have cleaned it as far as we are prepared to go so the stains of decades of dirt are still visible. We will leave it to the buyer to decide whether to clean it further. A labrum was a water vessel used in ancient Roman baths and gardens. An identical red marble version to this example can be seen in the ''Gabinetto delle Maschere'' in the Vatican Museum in Rome (see C.H.Tatham ''Etchings Representing the best Examples of Ancient Ornamental Architecture). Fantastic example and a very rare survivor, possibly from the w...