Are metal urns usually sold in pairs?

Commonly, yes. 'Pair' appears in 254 titles, close to half of them, and the share across everything sold on Sellingantiques is higher still. Sets beyond two do appear: trios, sets of four, one set of five and one set of six garden urns. Those sit at the top end of the range.

What metals do these urns come in?

Bronze leads, in more than a third of titles, followed by cast iron. Copper and brass carry the tea urns, samovars and kettles. After that come spelter, lead, silver plate and toleware, plus marble-mounted pieces. Cloisonné and champlevé enamel on metal bodies form their own strand.

How old are cast iron garden urns typically?

The dealers' dated field for the whole category runs 1800 to 1940, and cast iron garden urns belong to the 19th-century iron founding era. Most date labels are broad. '19th Century' is given on 202 listings, with 'Victorian' and 'Regency' used the same way. Where decades appear they cluster from the 1850s to the 1900s.

What does Meiji mean on a bronze urn?

Meiji is the Japanese period from 1868 to 1912. It appears in 45 titles. Japanese work is the largest strand within the bronze side of the category, with Japanese in 78 titles and Japanese bronze in 43. Chinese bronze and cloisonné run alongside it.

Which urns are the largest?

The top of the scale is held by a 91cm pair of cloisonné palace vases, a 72cm enamel vase and a single monumental Japanese garden temple vase. At the other end sit miniature Georgian chestnut urns and small brass vases. Weights are quoted only occasionally, from 3kg Tibetan and Nepalese bronze vases up to an 8kg pair of Japanese bronzes.

Do these come from outside England and France?

Yes. French pieces appear in 72 titles and Italian in 18, but the origins reach further. Single appearances include Swedish, Dutch, Egyptian Cairoware, Indian Kutch and Raj-period work, Tibetan and Nepalese bronze, and two African Benin ceremonial pots.

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Antique Metal Urns

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A two-handled or baluster vessel of urn form in metal, made for garden and terrace ornament, for mantel and table display, or for serving hot water and tea.