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ID #SA1234314
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£775
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Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840
For sale by Regent Antiques
for sale €907     $984
£775
Regent Antiques

Regent Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2016
Browse dealers 647 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
Id #SA1234314
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Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

19th century
For Sale by Regent Antiques
Description

This is an elegant pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival ormolu gilt wall-light sconces, Circa 1840 in date.

 

Each wall light features a shaped backplate with a crest on each side, supporting two elaborate acanthus-scrolling arms with mask heads terminating in circular fluted 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 25 cm x Width 18 cm x Depth 13.5 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 10 inches x Width 7 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: A5389

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated these French Ormolu Wall Sconces to the 1800s.

Independent Date Check ID 09640198
Dealer's Item Date1800s
Sellingantiques Date1800s
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-190 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1800s:
Hand-chased textured grounds on the backplates: careful decorative work before mass production.
Darkened tarnish in the recessed relief: natural ageing over many decades.
Hand-filed seams on the cast scrolling arms: traditional nineteenth-century foundry finishing.
Later electric socket inserts: standard modern conversion of original candle sconces.

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
25cm (9.84")
Width
18cm (7.09")
Depth
13.5cm (5.31")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1234314
Dealers Internal Reference
A5389
Description
This is an elegant pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival ormolu gilt wall-light sconces, Circa 1840 in date.

 

“
Each wall light features a shaped backplate with a crest on each side, supporting two elaborate acanthus-scrolling arms with mask heads terminating in circular fluted drip trays and sconces.
Regent Antiques
fig 1. A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
fig 1. Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

 

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:

fig 2. A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
fig 2. Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

Height 25 cm x Width 18 cm x Depth 13.5 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 10 inches x Width 7 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 XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
fig 3. Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

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 XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
fig 4. Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

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: A5389

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated these French Ormolu Wall Sconces to the 1800s.

Independent Date Report ID 09640198
Dealer's Item Date1800s
Sellingantiques dating1800s
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-190 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1800s:
Hand-chased textured grounds on the backplates: careful decorative work before mass production.
Darkened tarnish in the recessed relief: natural ageing over many decades.
Hand-filed seams on the cast scrolling arms: traditional nineteenth-century foundry finishing.
Later electric socket inserts: standard modern conversion of original candle sconces.

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
25cm (9.84")
Width
18cm (7.09")
Depth
13.5cm (5.31")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1234314
Dealers Internal Ref
A5389
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 XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
1 / 10
Archive I A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.

Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840

Archive II A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View II
Archive III A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View III
Archive IV A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View IV
Archive V A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View V
Archive VI A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View VI
Archive VII A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View VII
Archive VIII A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View VIII
Archive IX A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View IX
Archive X A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs. View X
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Manor Warehouse
318 Green Lanes
London
N4 1BX
United Kingdom
Verified Since Sep 2016
Items For Sale 647
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Regent Antiques
Regent Antiques
Verified Since Sep 2016
View Dealer Info
Location: Manor Warehouse, 318 Green Lanes, London, N4 1BX, United Kingdom
Verified
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For Sale
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Sold
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A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
Antique Pair of French Louis XIV Revival 2 Branch Ormolu Wall Lights C1840
Ref: SA1234314
A pair of antique French Louis XIV Revival two-branch gilt bronze ormolu wall sconces decorated with cherub motifs.
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectWall Lights
  • Period19th century
  • StyleLouis XIV Revival
  • MaterialOrmolu, Gilt Bronze
  • ColourGold
  • MotifsCherub heads, Acanthus leaf arms, Twin branches, Fluted nozzles
  • SizeH 25 cm (10 in) x W 18 cm (7 in) x D 13.5 cm (5 in)

These antique French Louis XIV Revival wall lights date from 1800 and are manufactured from gilt bronze ormolu with a rich gold finish. Each wall light comprises a shaped backplate with an ornate crest at the top and bottom, supporting two elaborate acanthus-scrolling arms equipped with mask heads, circular fluted drip trays, and central electrical fittings. The surfaces display intricate casting work alongside clean polished areas, and the internal wiring components remain visible at the nozzle terminals. Each sconce measures 25 cm high, 18 cm wide, and 13.5 cm deep. Suitable for traditional interior schemes, these wall sconces provide atmospheric illumination when mounted in pairs on either side of a mantelpiece, flanking a large mirror in a hallway, or positioned above a sideboard in a formal dining room.

Louis XIV Revival lighting features classical symmetry, heavy casting, and elaborate ornamentation such as acanthus leaves, cherub heads, and cornucopia forms inspired by seventeenth-century French Baroque design.

Traditional French wall lights of this period were cast in bronze or brass and finished with ormolu, a process of gilding metal to create a warm, durable gold surface.

Authentic pieces exhibit heavy cast bronze construction, hand-chased surface details, threaded assembly components, and characteristic gentle wear or oxidisation on the gilded finish.

Mounting a pair of sconces to flank a mantelpiece, decorative mirror, or sideboard provides ambient illumination and structural balance in contemporary living spaces.

Dust regularly with a soft, dry brush or microfibre cloth. Avoid chemical metal polishes and abrasive cleaners, as these can strip or damage the delicate original gilt layer.
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