Exceptionally Fine Pair of Late 1800s Louis XVI Style French Gilt Bronze Sconces

Description

Exceptionally fine Pair of late 1800’s Louis XVI style French Gilt Bronze large two-light Sconces.
The French refer to this … more Exceptionally fine Pair of late 1800’s Louis XVI style French Gilt Bronze large two-light Sconces.
The French refer to this gilding process as “bronze doré ” and of course we say “doré bronze”. This is a gilding process of applying a finely ground, high-carat gold–mercury amalgam to the bronze. Then the item is exposed to extreme heat until the mercury vaporizes and only the gold remains. Beginning around 1830 the government of France outlawed the use of Mercury, although the artisans continued using Mercury until around 1900.
**Please note that these are handmade items and therefore the measurements vary. The height remains the same for both. One sconce is 11" wide and the other is 12" wide. The depth of the arms vary from 6" - 7". less