Bronze Standing Ashtray with Fleur-de-Lis Décor, France, circa 1940
A distinctive standing ashtray in patinated bronze, the slender shaft surmounted by a cylindrical cup boldly decorated in relief with alternating fleurs-de-lis, the whole crowned by a small ring finial. French work, circa 1940. W. 13 × D. 13 × H. 63 cm.
PRODUCT DETAILS
| Dimensions en CM | 13 x 13 x 63 cm |
|---|---|
| Dimensions en INCH | 5.12 x 5.12 x 24.80 inch |
| Période | 1930–1940 |
| Matériaux | Bronze |
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The fleur-de-lis — for centuries a symbol of French sovereignty, nobility and national identity — here lends its heraldic authority to a standing ashtray of considerable decorative ambition. The piece is entirely in keeping with the neo-Gothic and neo-medieval Revival taste that ran alongside the dominant neoclassicism in French decorative metalwork of the 1930s and 1940s, producing objects that drew on the prestige of medieval France rather than the antique world.
The cylindrical cup at the summit is the piece's most expressive element: generously proportioned and boldly worked, it presents a series of prominently cast fleurs-de-lis in high relief against a recessed ground — a heraldic programme with the directness and conviction of medieval metalwork. The cup is surmounted by a small, elegantly turned ring finial, which serves both as a decorative crown to the composition and as a practical means of lifting or adjusting the cup. The slender shaft below is enriched by a small decorative boss at mid-height, maintaining the vertical elegance appropriate to the form.
The bronze is patinated to a warm, aged tone — dark without being sombre, with the depth of colour that only comes from quality casting and careful surface treatment. The overall character is both dignified and intimate: a piece with heraldic gravity, scaled for private use.
In very good vintage condition, the patina even and well-preserved throughout.
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