Antique ewer/pitcher?

Hey folks!

I need your help and advice

Got this gorgeous pitcher/ewer and I wanted to see if anyone knows anything useful about this piece. Where it could be from, what period and what could this could be worth. This thing came from Belgium antique auction, unfortunately this is all I know. Local antiques seller who has been in this field almost 30 years said this could be very expensive antique and he thinks it's 18th/19th century French, Italian or German. I know that it is made of bronze but middle part I am not sure of. It sounds like some kind of metal, but my dad said he thinks it might be some kind of ceramic.

Any help would be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance

Erik

 

Looks like it should be a lamp!

 

I think it’s Italian wine claret.
But not sure about it’s age. The dark metal is probably silver plated, or brass. Try magnet test.

 

Does it hold liquid, did you test it? To me it does not look like bronze. It may be light reflection but I see silver in it. I could be wrong.

 

The style is called 'Renaissance revival', and this style of item was made popular at the great Victorian exhibitions where some of the notable bronze companies of the time exhibited. The first versions date to the 1850's and interest waned in the 1880's. There are some very fine examples around and some very weak ones. They are mostly French, although they were made elsewhere, there was also a revival in the 1960's with some pretty rough Bohemian ones from this period.

They often incorporate design cues from the masters such as Duquesnoy along with mask heads etc. Usually they are just decorative, sometimes part of a garniture set, occasionally a lamp base.

Edit to add, the ladies singles trophy at Wimbledon is in this style and made by Elkington, they also made a ewer which matched, and you can get a plate & ewer set (rarely come to market though).

 

Perhaps it was designed to be part of a garniture. (See example.) It certainly doesn't appear that your ewer/pitcher could be used for the purpose of holding and dispensing liquids.

Debora

 

Looks like it's just decorative rather than usable. That tiny hole in the top doesn't look like you would want to use it to hold and pour liquid.

 

One that I have also has small opening, that’s why I thought it’s from the same family.

 

Thanks guys!

You are all right. I tested it and it doesn't hold liquid so it has to be a lamp or for just decorative purposes.

It certainly isn't brass, but I will go and let the specialist take a look at it. It looks like bronze to us, but maybe it is something else.

It's so hart do determine the age of these things and where they come from. Prices for such things vary quite a lot as well. Haven't found one like this anywhere, but lots similar lamps.

 

Nineteenth century French, clock garniture, absolutely. Bronze and ormolu.