Probably Italian, late 18th century inspired by the antique

the bodies cast with acanthus leaves and satyrs' masks with a classical scrolling floral and foliate frieze on circular feet, with stepped lids and mounted on black marble bases (4)

Another pair of these urns were sold at the Sotheby's Syon Park sale, 14th May 1997, lot 112, there described as French, circa 1700 (not illustrated). However the facture and patina of the present casts suggest an Italian, or possibly even English workshop of the late 18th century. If the latter, the model may be derived from a Wedgewood design but it is more likely that they are reductions inspired directly from an antique prototype.

That prototype was almost certainly a well-known cinerary vase 27½ in. high in the collection of Thomas Hope, and the most expensive of the vases sold at the Christie's dispersal of his house, the Deepdene, in 1917 (lot 209, see illustration, left). The main difference is that the Hope vase has horned handles protruding from the satyr heads, although these were thought to be 18th century additions. The Christie's catalogue also mentions a facsimile of the Hope vase in the Palazzo Grimani in Venice.

A pair of the present urns can be seen in an old photograph of c.1870 on the mantelpiece in the library of Warwick Castle: see Sotheby's entry for the Warwick Tables, 10th July 1998.

RELATED LITERATURE
Waywell, pp.106-8, Hope no.91, Fig.33; Taranti, pl.19