A pair of gilt-bronze mounted porcelain covered pot-pourris, the porcelain Japan, early 18th century with a later Dutch decoration, the gilt-bronze mounts signed Escalier de Cristal, circa 1850

A square vase with a similar decoration from the collection of Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde is held in the collections of the V&A in London (inv. LOAN:GILBERT.868:1-2008). This Japanese Arita porcelain vase, dated to around 1670–1700, features a later Dutch decoration in the Kakiemon style. The floral branches are rendered in an identical manner, and the choice of animals depicted conveys the same sense of exoticism. The mounts differ from those on our example, as the V&A vase has silver mounts, likely of Parisian origin. 

For a similar pot-pourri vase signed l’Escalier de Cristal with Japanese Kakiemon porcelain, see Sotheby’s Paris, 9 November 2012, lot 41.