A very fine pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze chenets, each mounted at one end by a flaming vase with foliate scrolled handles, with floral and foliate swags hung around its neck above a stiff leaf and berried cup, on a spreading circular foot above a pedestal base mounted on the front with a ribbon-tied quiver of arrows and bow as well as roses, with a scrolled mount to the side of the pedestal, on a stepped base mounted with a patera. The inner end of each chenet similarly surmounted by a smaller but conforming shaped flaming vase above an upright plinth mounted with a flaming torch crossed by foliate sprays and again a scrolled mount to the side, on a conformingly shaped base. The central part of the chenet with a foliate mount above and a central rectangular pierced scrolled, foliate and floral frieze

Paris, date circa 1775-80

Height 43 cm, width 48 cm, depth  10 cm.

Although these fine chenets are rare, they nevertheless typify the classical Louis XVI style. Among such characteristics are the classical vases adorned with scrolled handles as well as the surmounting flames. The ribbon-tied arrows and quivers on the plinths allude to attributes of love. In addition, the pierced scrolled friezes as well as the abundant floral and foliate swags can be compared with the mounts cast by the esteemed fondeur-doreur Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813), for instance on the base of a chenet surmounted by an eagle and salamander in the Mobilier National, supplied in 1781 (illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 585, pl. 25).