A pair of French gilt-bronze and enamel vases by Ferdinand Barbedienne after a design by Louis Constant Sévin, late 19th century

Acquired by the present owner in 2016 from the antiques market.

These vases are the result of the collaboration between two leading Parisian craftsmen: Louis Constant Sévin, drawer and designer, and Ferdinand Barbedienne, bronze maker and founder of the famous 19th century foundry. These vases are of the same model presented on Barbedienne's stand during the International Exhibition of London in 1862 (illustrated in J.B. Waring, Masterpieces of industrial art & sculpture at the International exhibition, 1862, vol.1, plate 139). 

Successful, these vases were republished, likely for private orders, sometimes with some variations, such as the cat's ears orientation, the feet shapes or the replacement of cabochons by palms, nevertheless the pattern stayed the same. A pair of the first model stamped F. Barbedienne Paris Constant Sévin inv. 1862 was sold Sotheby's New York, 14 March 1995, lot 179 and acquired by the Musée d'Orsay, Paris (OAO 1296), and another pair similarly stamped but dated 1867 was sold Bonham's Los Angeles, 6 June 2017, lot 275. A pair of vases of the second design, with palms instead of cabochons, was sold Sotheby's New York, 7-19 October 2022, lot 686 (USD 23,940), and a further single example of this version is in the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) established his Parisian foundry in 1839 and quickly became one of the most active and distinguished French bronziers of the 19th century. In addition to bronze réductions originating from Barbedienne's previous partnership with Achille Collas, the firm also produced decorative objects in styles reflecting the various exotic and revival trends popular at the time, as is evident in the present lot elegantly rendered in the Greek revival and renaissance manner. After Barbedienne's death the business was taken over by his nephew, Leblanc-Barbedienne, and continued until 1953.

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888), favoured sculptor and designer of the Barbedienne workshop, collaborated with the master from 1855 for a period of thirty-three years.