Pair French Japonisme Ormolu Patinated Bronze & Cloisonné Vases Christofle & Cie

Description

A Highly Important Pair of French Japonisme Ormolu, Patinated Bronze & Cloisonné Vases, by Christofle & Cie. Christofle & Cie is a renowned French silver and metalwork manufacturer founded in 1830 by Charles Christofle. The company became a leader in luxury metalwork, specializing in silver plating and later expanding into high-quality bronze and decorative arts. Christofle was a pioneer in electroplating techniques, securing exclusive patents in France in the mid-19th century, which allowed it to produce finely crafted objects with intricate gilding and patination. The firm collaborated with leading designers and artists of the time, contributing to the aesthetic movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Empire, Rococo Revival, Orientalism, and Japonisme. These vases represent the height of Christofle’s Japonisme production, an artistic movement that flourished in France during the late 19th century, inspired by Japanese aesthetics. The combination of cloisonné enamel with finely cast ormolu and patinated bronze reflects the technical complexity and artistic ambition of the period. Japonisme was embraced by leading French manufacturers, with Christofle producing some of the most refined examples of this style, catering to the elite clientele of the Belle Époque. This particular pair was made by Christofle & Cie and Grohe Freres, as well as after a design by Emile Reiber. This pair of covered vases is decorated with patinated bronze, ormolu, and cloisonné enamel. Each vase has an elongated ovoid body, tapering towards the lower section and rising into a slender neck with a pointed finial. The body features polychrome enamel decorations of koi fish amid stylized waves, with additional cloud motifs and a celestial body, one showing a sun and the other a moon. The koi fish, depicted in motion against a turbulent water background, are rendered with precise enamel detailing, enhancing their dimensionality. The upper section of the vase incorporates deep blue enamel bands with gold linear detailing, framing the main decorative panels. The handles are formed as elephant heads in patinated bronze, each with upturned trunks and decorative embellishments, affixed to the body at the shoulder. Above the handles, turned finial elements extend outward. The neck is flanked by symmetrical, openwork geometric motifs in gilt bronze, attached at the sides and rising towards the finial. The finial itself is a sharply pointed ormolu spike, echoing the elongated and tapering silhouette of the overall design. The base of each vase consists of a spreading socle with a gilt lotus petal design, bordered with a Greek key motif. The vases rest on four short, curved feet, also in gilt bronze, with additional decorative elements. The base is inscribed ‘Christofle & Cie’ on a raised gilt band and stamped with the number ‘823363’ along the underside edge. One foot is further stamped with the letter ‘K.’ The rarity and scale of these vases, combined with their elaborate metalwork and fine cloisonné enamel decoration, place them among the most important examples of Christofle’s Japonisme creations. Comparable works by the firm were exhibited at international expositions, demonstrating the fusion of French technical mastery with Japanese-inspired motifs. France, Circa: 1880

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