What is a cassolette?

A cassolette is a dual-purpose decorative vessel functioning either as a lidded vase or, when inverted, as a burner for scented substances. These pieces typically feature pierced covers designed to diffuse fragrance into a room. In many designs, removing the lid reveals a candle socket or a fitted liner. This versatility made them popular decorative accessories on nineteenth-century mantelpieces.

How do I identify Sèvres style?

Sèvres style pieces usually feature rich blue ground colours, lavish gold leaf gilding, and hand-painted pastoral or courtly scenes within shaped reserves. They often incorporate decorative ormolu mounts and classical handles. While genuine eighteenth-century pieces are scarce, many nineteenth-century French and English factories produced high-quality revivals that emulate this decorative vocabulary.

Were these urns made as lamps?

Most nineteenth-century urns and jars were manufactured purely for display or as garniture sets rather than as lighting. Many surviving examples were converted into table lamps during the twentieth century by drilling the base or running cord through existing mounts. Converters often mounted the ceramic bodies onto weighted gilt metal bases to ensure stability. This adaptation preserved the decorative impact of the original vases for domestic interiors.

What is a garniture set?

A garniture set consists of three or five matched decorative vessels designed to sit together on a mantelpiece or sideboard. A standard arrangement includes a central urn flanked by matching smaller vases or lidded jars. These coordinated sets were manufactured to create a balanced symmetrical display in formal reception rooms. Finding a complete surviving set is less common than discovering individual pieces.

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Blue Gilt Urn

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A blue gilt urn brings together deep cobalt or turquoise glazes and gleaming metallic highlights, offering a striking centrepiece for a mantel or table.