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A pair Napoleon III Egyptian imperial porphyry urns and covers

Creator: Egyptian Revival
Offered by: Wick Antiques LTD

Description
A pair Napoleon III Egyptian imperial porphyry urns and covers, each with a shaped cover and baluster body on a concave support and square base, applied with high quality ormolu mounts comprising a flower-bud finial, arched foliate handles, an openwork collar and a bound- reed border round the foot. French, c1870.

Footnote: Porphyry is exceptionally dense and has a high feldspar content so that, when polished, it was described as “powdered with bright stars” by Paul the Silentiary, a 6th century member of the Byzantine imperial household (Vasiliev, 1948:5). Purple Porphyry was reserved exclusively for imperial Roman/Byzantine use and royalty were born in a room lined in it – which explains the phrase ‘born to the purple”. Restrictions on quarrying ensured that this stone retained its high value and luxury status.

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Origin:	France
Period:	19th Century
Materials:	Egyptian Porphyry, Ormolu
Condition:	Good.
Creation Date:	1870
Styles / Movements:	Traditional
Incollect Reference #:	476353

Dimensions

H.	22.5 in;	Diam.	57 in;
H.	57.15 cm;	Diam.	144.78 cm;

Message from Seller:

Wick Antiques was established by Charles Wallrock in the early 1980s. Having grown up in the Antiques world Charles developed an extensive wealth of knowledge. Starting out as a ‘man with a van’ he quickly gained a good reputation and embarked on a longstanding relationship with Harrods. He was later joined by his wife, Caroline Wallrock. Caroline having completed a Persian degree, went on to study at Christie’s fine art and then joined Sotheby’s specializing in Islamic and Japanese works of art