Apple-Shaped Ice Bucket in Red Lucite and Gilt Brass — French Work, Circa 1970
A trompe-l'œil ice bucket in the form of an apple, with a deep amber-red lucite lower body and a polished gilt brass domed lid topped by a finely cast stem-and-leaf finial. French work, circa 1970. Dimensions: 13.5 × 13.5 × 16 cm.
PRODUCT DETAILS
| Dimensions en CM | 13.5 x 13.5 x 16 cm |
|---|---|
| Dimensions en INCH | 5.31 x 5.31 x 6.30 inch |
| Période | 1970–1980 |
| Style | Mid-Century Modern |
| Matériaux | Vintage Plastic |
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
This apple ice bucket belongs to the tradition of trompe-l'œil decorative objects that flourished in French luxury accessories and bar ware throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The piece is constructed in two halves that divide at the apple's equator: the lower body in deep, translucent amber-red lucite — a material whose warmth and depth give it something of the quality of polished tortoiseshell — and the upper half as a polished gilt brass dome that forms the lid. The transition between the two materials is seamless and convincing, the rounded silhouette reading immediately and pleasurably as an apple. The crowning detail is a gilt brass stem and leaf finial, cast with sufficient precision to pass as the real article at a glance.
Novelty bar accessories — ice buckets, bottle stoppers, decanters, and serving pieces designed in the form of fruits, animals, and other recognisable objects — were produced in considerable quantity by French and Italian manufacturers from the 1950s onward, reflecting a broader culture of domestic entertaining in which wit and visual pleasure were considered as important as function. The best of these pieces succeed not merely as jokes but as genuinely well-resolved objects, where the choice of materials and the quality of manufacture match the invention of the concept. This apple achieves that balance: the lucite and gilt brass are well-matched in their warmth, and the proportions are elegantly resolved.
At 13.5 centimetres square and 16 centimetres tall, the piece is sized for the bar trolley, sideboard, or dining table — intimate enough to be placed within reach, substantial enough to command attention. It holds a small quantity of ice — sufficient for two or three cocktails — and lifts off cleanly at the lid for easy access and refilling.
A delightful and well-preserved example of French decorative accessories from the early 1970s, this apple ice bucket brings wit, warmth, and a touch of theatre to any table it graces.
SIMILAR SELECTIONS
