A rare and important pair of 19th century French cast iron ‘Naiad’ garden vases. Circa 1860.

 Most probably cast by J.J.Ducel et Fils, Paris

 The current pair of vases are copies of a pair of bronzes vases flanking the Parterre du Nord, at Versailles, after a design by the famous goldsmith to Louis X1V the Sun King, Claude Ballin (1615-1678). Originally, along with another 12 pairs, they were to be cast in silver but due to financial constraints all the vases were eventually cast in bronze for the Versailles Gardens between 1660-1680.

 Ballin’s bronze vases remained unique until the third quarter of the 19th century when the 4th Marquis of Hereford (1800-1870) had bronze copies cast for the Chateau de Bagatelle later inherited by his son Sir Richard Wallace. Eventually many of these Bagatelle Vases as they came to be known were removed to England with a bronze pair of the ‘Naiad’ Vases being donated to the Wallace Collection in 1950 by Sir John Stirling-Maxwell.

 As well as bronze copies there was also a demand, particularly in France, for high quality cast iron copies of the Versailles vases although copies of ‘Naiad’ vases was comparatively rare. The current pair although not stamped are of exceptional high quality and the sharpness of the low relief of the bacchanalian scenes and of the two Naiad figures suggests they were one of the first to be cast from the original mould and most probably by the famous 19th century Parisian founders J.J. Ducel et Fils.  The ‘Naiad’ vase is illustrated in their mid19th century catalogue No. 10332, page 388.

(Restored)

 Bibliography:

John Davis ‘Antique Garden Ornament’ pp. 133-142 Antique Collectors Club 199.

STOCK NUMBER 4582

Measurements
OVERALL DIAMETER OF VASES: 30 INS (76 CMS)
HEIGHT OF VASES:  32 INS (81 CMS)