Royal Vienna porcelain and gilt bronze circular side table

Royal Vienna porcelain and gilt bronze circular side table
Austrian, c. 1870
Height 84cm, diameter 56cm
 
This circular occasional table is a truly exquisite piece of design, which will make a superb addition to either an antique or contemporary home. The table features a beautiful porcelain top, which was crafted by the Royal Vienna factory in Austria. The Royal Vienna company was founded in 1718, making it one of the earliest manufactures of true porcelain in Europe. In the 18th and 19th Centuries, the Viennese factory produced beautiful, high-quality porcelain items, which were popular with the European elite. These antique items continue to be sought-after by decorative art connoisseurs and amateur collectors.  
 
The porcelain table top features a charming painting of a young woman and man seated together in the wooden panelled interior of a house. They are dressed in traditional Austrian costume: the moustached man wears leg warmers, lederhosen, a jacket and tyrolean hat, and the woman wears a dirndl dress, and has her blonde hair in a plait. The woman spins wool, while the man appears to have just come in from a shoot, placing his coat and gun beside him. The painting is set within a gilt frame, within a red border decorated with scrolling gilt foliage and flowers. The porcelain table top is set on a gilt bronze (ormolu) support. This features three dragon form S-scrolls, which curve inwards to a centre point, then extend downwards in a straight line, before scrolling outwards to form three legs. These legs are decorated with stylised lion heads, and they terminate in hoof feet. The feet are linked by a triangular stretcher, which is set on three slim circular bases.
 
Artist/maker: Royal Vienna Porcelain Manufactory (Austrian, founded 1718)