A PAIR OF FRENCH PARCEL-GILT PAINTED CAST-IRON FIGURAL TORCHERES AFTER MODELS BY MATHURIN MOREAU FROM THE VAL D'OSNE MANUFACTURE, LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY |

figuring an Egyptian and a Nubian woman, each supporting a torch with frosted glass flambeau shade, on circular base and further square plinth with cartouches to the angles; the Egyptian woman base with the Val d'Osne stamp on the front; (electrified)

In the early 20th century, these torcheres were part of Dr Miguel Matute's pharmacy in San Fernando, near Cádiz, Spain.Spanish private collection.

Between 1849 and 1879, the sculptor Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912) provided the fonderies du Val d'Osne with numerous models and became one of the shareholders of the company (see Y. Devaux, L'Univers des Bronzes, Paris, 1978, p. 34 for an engraving  from the Val d'Osne ateliers showing an identical pair of cast-iron figural torcheres).