A LOUIS-PHILIPPE GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED COVERED VASE, CIRCA 1840, BY THOMIRE & CIE

This vase of rich ornamentation and intricate details illustrates the type of gilt-bronze vases in a Renaissance style that the Thomire & Cie workshop produced in the 1840s. Three Renaissance style vases 'riche d'ornements' of different sizes are recorded in the sale catalogue of the contents of Thomire & Cie in June 1853.

Key characteristics of this vase remind us of the work of Thomire and his workshop, namely the rich gilt-bronze decoration inspired from Renaissance, here seen through seated putti (as seen on numerous of his other vases, candelabra and clocks), the use of birds, foliate garlands and grotesque motifs. This richness in design is found for example on a mantel clock dated from 1840 sold Sotheby's New York, 26 April 2017, lot 188 ($56, 250). Interestingly the mask on the current lot is repeated on a small vase in relief on the aforementioned clock and on a clock sold Sotheby's London, 6 December 2006, lot 127.

Thomire & Cie

Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751- 1843) was one of the most outstanding fondeur-doreur of the Empire period and worked under the ciseleur Gouthière. In 1774 he collaborated in the decoration of the coronation coach of Louis XVI and set up his own workshop the following year. He is known to have supplied mounts for furniture by the outstanding ébénistes of the time such as Beneman and Weisweiler. Thomire was a favourite of Napoléon who made him Ciseleur de l'Empereur in 1809. In 1811, he collaborated with the goldsmith Odiot and made the celebrated cradle for the King of Rome. After the Restauration, he worked for the Bourbons and was awarded the Légion d'Honneur by Louis-Philippe. He retired in 1823 though his firm Thomire et Cie continued until 1850.