Items Similar to F. Barbedienne, A Suite of Three French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardinieres

Extremely Rare Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne Ormolu and Champlevé Enamel Vases

Auction

Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870

Auction

Ferdinand Barbedienne, a French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870

Ormolu-Mounted and Champlevé Enamel Decorated Onyx Jardinière by Barbedienne

Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Vase, C. 1870

A Champlevé Enamel Jardinière by Ferdinand Barbedienne

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 20

F. Barbedienne, A Suite of Three French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardinieres

About the Item

Ferdinand Barbedienne, An Exquisite Suite of Three French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardinieres / Garniture C. 1870, The Design Attributed to Louis Constant Sevin. Comprising of three exceptional quality turquoise and yellow-ground champlevé enamel and gilt-bronze ormolu jardinières. Each signed F. Barbedienne. Champlevé enamelling is similar to cloisonné in that the enamel is applied to discrete cells separated by metal. However, in champlevé, cells or troughs are cast into or cut away from the metal base, leaving a raised metal line between the cells which forms the outline of a design. The cells are then filled with molten or powdered glass and fired. The design for theese jardinière with its distinctive Néo-Byzantine enamel work is attributed to the sculptor and designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888), who created many of Barbedienne’s most important pieces from 1855 until 1888. At the age of thirteen the gifted Sévin entered an apprenticeship with the sculptor Marneuf and by 1839 was an accomplished sculptor and designer of jewellery. During the Revolution of 1848 he moved to London taking up the position of foreman for the goldsmith’s firm of Jean-Valentin Morel in London. Many of the items he designed for Morel where presented at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. Returning to France in 1851 he moved to Limoges to design porcelain for the factory of Jouhanneaud & Dubois, before finally taking up the position of sculptor - decorator with Barbedienne in Paris in 1855, a position he was to hold until the end of his life in 1888. He was to achieve great recognition for his work throughout his long career, including a medal for excellence at the London Exhibition of 1862 and a Gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1878. Excellent condition, ready to place. No damages noted. Measures: 5" high x 8" wide x 5" deep. This lot will be accompanied by an antique print showing this model by Barbedienne.

Creator:
Ferdinand Barbedienne (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 5 in (12.7 cm)Width: 8 in (20.32 cm)Depth: 5 in (12.7 cm)
Style:
Napoleon III (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze,Enamel,Ormolu
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
C. 1870
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1798231703632
View Invoice

Shop All Ferdinand Barbedienne

Ferdinand Barbedienne

Founded by one-time Parisian wallpaper dealer Ferdinand Barbedienne and engineer Achille Collas, one of the most revered foundries in 19th-century France began with the invention of a revolutionary 1830s-era device that could produce proportional reproductions — large or small — of sculptures. Collas’s machine, which yielded miniature likenesses of antiquities for the interiors of homes the world over, was pivotal to the success of the F. Barbedienne Foundry. The successful firm earned prestigious awards and critical acclaim and created exquisite bronze candleholders, clocks and lamps for a range of wealthy and prominent clients.

The duo first launched their company under the name Société Collas et Barbedienne, and early on, they optimized chemical processes for pigmenting and patinating their bronze statuettes. After Collas died in 1859, Barbedienne forged on alone, and the company’s name changed to simply F. Barbedienne.

Barbedienne employed more than 300 workers at that point, and the Maison created a range of furnishings and decorative objects that featured the integration of marble and ormolu accents. However, with the onset of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the foundry was forced to retrofit its molds, and the production of cannons replaced sculptures, furniture and vases.

When Ferdinand Barbedienne passed away in 1891, his nephew and heir, Gustave Leblanc, took over as president, changing the name to Leblanc-Barbedienne. Leblanc expanded production into Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, carrying on the company's legacy with monumental sculptures, and models and securing production rights for famous statues. Paul-Alexandre Dumas, an Art Nouveau maker and student of Louis Majorelle, succeeded Leblanc until the company's closing in 1952.

Barbedienne pieces had been exhibited regularly in the 19th century and were especially prevalent at Europe’s international expositions and world’s fairs, where they received numerous prizes. Today, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris holds dozens of Barbedienne works in its collection, including intricate mirrors, vases and cups created by Louis-Constant Sévin at the foundry. For more than two decades, Sévin created lamps, boxes and more at Maison Barbedienne. Working alongside award-winning chaser Désiré Attarge, Sévin designed Napoleon III-era works that greatly appealed to European nobility.

Other notable artists who collaborated with Barbedienne included Eugene Aizelin, Emmanuel Fremiet, Antonin Mercié, Emile Guillemin, Edouard Lievre, Ferdinand Levillain and Auguste Rodin.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique Ferdinand Barbedienne decorative objects, lighting and more.