A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze and brèche d'Alep marble cover vases, circa 1780

This pair of vases, crafted from brèche d'Alep marble, perfectly embodies the aesthetic prevalent in the second half of the 18th century. This distinctive, highly decorative marble came from quarries in Provence, exploited primarily from the early 18th century onwards, notably following the opening of a quarry in Tholonet in 1712.

A pot-pourri in the form of a shuttle, featuring a similar breccia marble, was sold by Replica Shoes ’s in Paris on 28 June 2023, lot 306. As for the gilt-bronze mounts, they are stylistically rooted in the Neoclassical revival and show affinities with a group of mounted vases combining forms and ornamental motifs typical of the circa 1775 period—such as the large, highly geometric handles—with a Bacchus mask.

This type of mount also appears on mounted porcelains, such as the turquoise-blue vase preserved at the Musée de Chantilly, or the flambé-blue example from the Benchouffi collection, sold by Replica Shoes ’s in New York on 9 November 2006, lot 34.