Antique Sevres Blue Celeste Porcelain Wash Basin & Ormolu Gueridon Table

Description

The preeminent expert on Sèvres in North Carolina has personally looked at this piece and deemed it to "highly likely … more The preeminent expert on Sèvres in North Carolina has personally looked at this piece and deemed it to "highly likely be an authentic Sèvres" wash basin. Everything is there to authenticate Sèvres, including the underglazed Sèvres makers mark, date stamp, artwork, classic Sèvres ormolu/gilded bronze satyrs, and age-appropriate wear. If it is indeed an authentic Sèvres, then it's an extremely significant and rare piece, and certainly worth every bit of the $15,000 it would fetch at a Christie's auction -- or so I'm told.

Here's a proper description of the wash basin:

- Provenance: I purchased it from a wealthy woman from Dallas, Texas who possessed an extensive private collection of Sèvres and Sèvres-style pieces
- Blue cerulean ground porcelain producing the classic Sèvres "Blue Celeste" color
- Expertly hand-painted scenes of "Three Winged Child Angels" on the large porcelain bowl and a "Floral Arrangement" on the smaller bowl
- Intricate and ornate Victorian gilt scroll painting surrounding each cartouche
- Stands 32" tall to the top of the handles and 30" tall to the rim of the large top basin without the added height of the handles
- The large flat-bottom oval-shaped bowl on top measures 21.5" wide x 15" deep x 3" high with a 1.5" pierced ormolu protective framed rim
- The smaller flat-bottom scallop-shaped bowl below measures 9.5" wide x 6" deep x 1.75" high with a .5" ormolu protective rim
- Both bowls are held in place by screws, which can be removed such that each of the two porcelain bowls can also be removed
- Weighs 25 pounds, 2 ounces
- Finely cast ormolu pedestal stand, maskhead handles with satyrs, and platform base with ornate finial
- Underglaze blue crossed foliate Ls makers mark and the classic Sèvres date stamp of S 49, indicating Sèvres 1749
- Classic and expertly detailed Sèvres satyrs adorn each side of the urn at the base of the maskhead handles

If you have any additional questions, I'll be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. This is a museum-quality piece waiting to find its place as a centerpiece in someone's home! less