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Elegant pair of torches of the Empire period, period known as "Return of Egypt", in chased, patinated and gilded bronze, the shaft crowned by three heads of Egyptian women topped with the nemes supporting the binnacle decorated with palmettes.
The three pairs of feet of the pretresses enthroned on a circular base with double estrades decorated with a frieze of stylized palmettes.
An identical pair was in the bedroom of the Emperor Napoleon in Saint-Cloud (ref: inventory of 1807). Then from 1837 to 1861 in the Grand Trianon. In 1886 the pair returned from Versailles to the Garde-Meuble (inventory number GML 4927 001).
This pair of torches is illustrated and described in "L'heure, le feu, la lumière", les bronzes du Mobilier National by Marie-France Dupuy-Baylet, on page 146.
Very good condition, in its original gilding.
The cups identical to the originals probably reported.
Empire period, around 1805.
Attributed to Claude Galle (1759-1815).
Height 21 cm.
An identical pair sold at Artcurial on December 14, 2011:
https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-paire-de-flambeaux-legyptienne-depoque-empire-attribue-claude-galle-1759-1815-2091-46
Another identical pair was sold by Christie's London, January 25, 2005, lot 304.
Ref: 9ESONGYF7F