Pair 19th C. French Signed Baccarat Opaline Double Overlay Blue-Cut-White Vases

Product Description

A Highly Important, Monumental, and Rare Pair of 19th Century French Signed Baccarat Opaline Double Overlay Cobalt Blue Cut-To-White Opaline Vases with Hand-Enameled Floral Designs, Made in 1866, most probably made for The Paris Exposition Universelle in 1866. Each vase is of baluster form with a double-crystal overlay, which is methodically hand-diamond-cut with a gorgeous array of colors. The underlayer crystal is white opaline, while the top layer of crystal is cobalt blue opaline. The two layers of crystal are exceptionally thick and each decorative cut made in them is done by hand with a hand-diamond copper wheel cut. The tops, body, base are each designed with Royal French decoration with Fleur De Lis adorned in 24K gold decoration embellished all around them. The gilding work is incredible, with bands of gilt lines, Fleur De Lis, laurel leaves, decorative vines, and arabesque patterns. Each brushstroke of gilding is hand-matted and hand-burnished with a two-tone design, which is extremely complex to perform on crystal. The front and back body of each of the vases are also gorgeously elaborate, with hand-enameled designs of floral arrangement; these include, but are not limited to: roses, lilies, chrysanthemum flowers, leaves, vines, lavender, hydrangeas, orchids, wheat, and blossoms. The flower arrangements are made to appear as if they are tied together at the base with a ribbon. Enameled decoration on opaline crystal is considered one of the most challenging techniques to master in all art. The hues, brushes, and base “canvas” are very tedious to work with and take many hours, and even years to complete single pieces. These gorgeous vases are both marked on the base with Baccarat and 1866. One vase has slight rubbing to the underside mark, but that is very normal for gilt decoration on objects that are more than 120 years old.
France, Circa: 1866

Provenance: Most probably made for The Paris Exposition Universelle in 1866.

Height: 26 in (66.04 cm)
Diameter: 12 in (30.48 cm)