Ref.3291
Antique Louis XV style fireplace in Breccia Nuvolata marble with its Carrara marble shell

This Louis XV style fireplace was made out of Breccia Nuvolata marble in the 19th century. Its design borrows from the Pompadour fireplace the style of the jambs and the paneled entablature, replacing the central medallion with a large shell in Carrara marble.

Ref.3450
Regence style fireplace in Rosso Verona marble, early 20th century

This Regence style antique fireplace in Rosso Verona marble was made in the early 20th century. This is a modern reinterpretation of the Regence style: this elegant fireplace, with curved lines and very fine volumes, is adorned with a bollection on the jambs and the finely curved frieze.

Ref.3833
Antique cast iron stove in the Napoleon III style decorated with caryatids

Rare antique Napoleon III style stove made in the 19th century out of painted cast iron decorated with caryatids and a lion's head. The top is in Northern Red marble.

Ref.11851
Set of Rocaille style cement posts

Set of 7 rock style cement posts, imitating tree trunks. Height 23.62 inch, width 9.06 inch, depth 9.06 inch.

Ref.12948
Lot of cast iron guardrails for monumental stairs, end of 19th century

Lot of cast iron exterior guardrails straight and for stairs with curls decoration.

Ref.14654
Fountain center model "Fontana delle Tartarughe", XIX century

Fountain named after Pope Alexander VII, featuring at its center a triton surrounded at its feet by four basins representing seashells, resting on a base. On the latter, a dedication is inscribed, divided into four cartouches surrounded by motifs, placed between each basin. The triton is depicted kneeling, the body turned to the left, his left arm raised upwards, his right arm in the same position, the palm open to the sky. This posture suggests that originally he was supposed to hold an element in his two hands (a large bowl, perhaps?) adding another level to the fountain. On the pedestal, cartouches bear inscriptions in Latin, the translation of which can be provided as: "ANNO PONTIFIC IV ALEXANDER VII RESTAURAUIT ORNAVITQUE," which can be translated as: "In the 4th year of the pontificate, Alexander VII restored and adorned." Alexander VII (1599-1667) was Pope from 1655 until his death in 1667. The model of the fountain (the base) as well as the text inscribed in the cartouches closely resemble the Turtle Fountain in Rome, located in Piazza Mattei, the design of which was drawn by Giacomo della Porta in 1582, and the bronzes executed by Tadeo Landini, the whole completed in 1585. The figures were originally supposed to hold dolphins in their hands, but these were never placed on the fountain due to water pressure. In 1658, during the pontificate of Alexander VII, the existing fountain was restored and transformed, with the addition of turtles, which are believed to have been sculpted by Bernini. Bibliography : Steven Ostrow, "Collecting Copies of 'the most charming fountain in Rome'. Taddeo Landini's Fontana delle Tartarughe".

Ref.5111
Louis XV style Carrara marble mantel with carved floral décor

This Louis XV style mantelpiece was carved in Carrara marble in the 19th century. At the centre of the lintel, a cartouche with carved curves and counter curves features a fish fin ending in a shell pattern. On either side are delicately carved flowers, all different, and acanthus leaves. The gently curving jambs are also adorned with floral cartouches, and end in scrolls at each end. The sides are moulded. The cast iron interior follows the same curves as the mantelpiece, with interlacing and plant patterns.

Ref.14989
Joseph Simon Volmar (Berne, 1796-1865), Pair of bears in cast iron

Joseph Simon Volmar (or Vollmar) (Bern, 1796-1865) was a Swiss painter and sculptor. Born to a painter father, he was his student at the Bern Art School and later studied in Paris between 1814 and 1824 under Horace Vernet, Théodore Géricault, and the sculptor David d’Angers. In 1836, he was appointed Extraordinary Professor of Academic Drawing and Oil Painting at the Bern Art School. His reputation extended beyond Swiss borders. Volmar was known for his historical, landscape, and animal paintings and sculptures. During the 19th century, an era marked by the emergence of national consciousness, he secured a significant public commission for the monument to Rudolf von Erlach (c. 1299-1360), the victor of the Battle of Laupen in 1339, which preserved the independence of the city of Bern on that occasion. The architect Gottlieb Debler, the caster Rüetschi von Aarau (for the equestrian statue), and the Bisontine foundry Gandillot et Roy (for the bears) collaborated with Joseph Volmar in the construction of the monument between 1841 and 1848. Its inauguration took place during the Laupenfest in 1849, and the monument is now located on the Grabenpromenade. The presence of bears serves as a reminder of the historical identity of the city. Two of the bears sculpted by Volmar were casted again through a private commission from the Marshal of Saxe, who likely admired the monument. Although the plate indicating their authorship and casting location is missing, a comparison with the monument allows us to attribute them to Volmar. These statues were likely cast in Besançon; since the Gandillot et Roy foundry was acquired by the Degoumois et Cie foundry in 1864, it is certain that the bears were cast before that date. The animals, with their varied poses, detailed fur, and great expressiveness, showcase the sculptor’s mastery of animal art. One, ferocious, bares its fangs and raises its paw as if to attack, while the other is more playful, with its ball and its almost smiling expression. In both cases, the sculptor paid great attention to the detailed representation of the animals’ fur. Volmar had the opportunity to observe bears since the city of Bern housed them, and his graphic work includes numerous representations of these animals. Thus, the bears created by Volmar for the monument to Rudolf von Erlach were so admirable that they served as models for a new casting intended for private use. To our knowledge, these bears are the only two examples that have been cast from the monument. Ours ENPublish at Calameo

Ref.5915
Louis XV style fireplace in Carrara marble, with shell and flower decoration