Important Pair Baccarat Opaline Glass Vases Mount Ormolu Japonisme King France

SUPERB MATCHED PAIR LARGE BACCARAT OPALINE CRYSTAL GLASS VASES DORE GILT MOUNT ORMOLU JAPONISME. KING FRANCIS l CROWNED SALAMANDER MUSEUM QUALITY. THIS IS A RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL MATCHED PAIR OF BACCARAT CRYSTAL OPALINE VASES, EACH MEASURING APPROX. 11" HIGH, WITH MOUNT, AND 6" WIDE.

THE OVERSIZED VASES FEATURE THE CROWNED SALAMANDER, SYMBOL OF KING FRANCIS l, (1494 - 1547), HAND ENAMELED IN GOLD. THE SALAMANDER IS THE ICONIC FEATURE SEEN IN FRENCH CHÂTEAUS, CASTLES AND NOTRE DAME, AS WELL AS A PERMANENT FIXTURE AT CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBORD, WHERE MORE THAN 300 STONE IMAGES OF THE SALAMANDER, ARE FOUND IN THE BUILDING. OFTEN CONFUSED FOR A DRAGON, AND SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE FIRE SALAMANDER, THE KINGS CHOICE OF SALAMANDER, WAS ROOTED IN MYTHS AND LEGENDS DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, AND WAS THOUGHT TO POSSESS MAGICAL POWERS THAT PROTECTED IT, AND THUS, THE KING, FROM FIRE.

FRENCH CRISTALLERIE BACCARAT USED THIS SYMBOL PERVASIVELY AND IT CAN BE FOUND ON MANY OF ITS' ANTIQUE GLASS. BACCARAT COMBINES THE MEDIEVAL SYMBOL OF KING FRANCIS l, WITH THE POPULAR JAPANESE STYLE OF THE MEIJI PERIOD (1868 - 1912), DURING THE JAPONISME MOVEMENT, (1850 -1900). THE VASES ARE MOUNTED ON THE WELL DOCUMENTED ORMOLU BASE, FEATURING ASIAN STYLED CHERRY TREE BRANCHES FOR THE LEGS/FEET. EACH BRANCH HAS AN EMBOSSED CIRCULAR STAMP OF BACCARAT, ON THE INSIDE LEG. PHOTO #11 SHOWS A CLOSE UP OF THE STAMP.

THE OPALINE GLASS IS TRANSLUCENT. THE ENAMELING IS BRIGHT WITH MINOR RUBBING IN SPOTS. THE BASE IS SECURE, STABLE AND IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH AN ANTIQUE GOLD PATINA. THE UNDERSIDE OF ONE BASE HAS A THIN BLACK COAT OF PAINT. ON THE OTHER BASE, THE BLACK COATING HAS BEEN REMOVED, EXPOSING A BRIGHT DORE FINISH. THESE MUSEUM QUALITY VASES DISPLAY BEAUTIFULLY. THE VASES ARE ROUND AND NOT OBLONG OR FLATTENED.

PHOTOS WITH BOTH VASES TOGETHER HAVE A SLIGHT DISTORTION / WIDE ANGLE APPEARANCE. IF YOU PREFER TO SEE MORE PHOTOS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL PHOTOGRAPH THE VASES INDIVIDUALLY. SIGNATURE REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

3 PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND REVIEW THE PHOTOS FOR DESCRIPTION.

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