Veuve Perrin Pair Of French Faience Urns, Pastoral Scenes And Gilt Ram’s Head Handles, 18th C

Rare Veuve Perrin 18th century French urns with hand-painted pastoral scenes and gilt ram’s head handles

An impressive pair of antique French faience urns attributed to the prestigious Veuve Perrin manufactory in Marseille, dating to the 18th century. Each vase is meticulously hand-painted with charming romantic pastoral scenes in vibrant polychrome enamels, enriched with exquisite gilded details. The vivid colours — including deep blue, bright yellow, rose pink, green, and earthy browns — are typical of Veuve Perrin's celebrated palette, creating a lively and elegant visual impact.

Both urns feature boldly modelled ram’s head handles, finished with rich gilding, adding a sculptural and decorative dimension to the design. The square bases are equally ornate, decorated with fine floral bouquets and framed by stylised ribbon borders highlighted with gilded accents. A sophisticated pierced gallery in the upper register enhances the visual complexity and craftsmanship.

The urns are secured to their bases with metal rods and bolts. Each urn can rotate slightly on its mount and could be stabilised if desired by tightening the bolt underneath. Similar examples by Veuve Perrin are held in major museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (object number 50.211.72a, b, .73a, b).

These elegant urns would make a striking addition to a collection of 18th-century French ceramics, faience, or Rococo decorative arts. Perfect for display in an antique-filled interior, on a mantelpiece, console table, or as statement centrepieces.

Measurements
Combined weight: Approximately 1300 g
Height (each): 19.5 cm / 7.68″
Width (across handles): 14 cm / 5.51″
Depth: 10 cm / 3.94″

Condition
Both urns are in very good antique condition. The painting, enamelling, and gilding are exceptionally well preserved with only minor wear consistent with careful handling and age. There is a chip to one of the gilded ram's horn handles, exposing the underlying faience, as well as a tiny, barely noticeable enamel flake on the forehead of the same ram’s head. The slight rotation of the urns on their mounts is inherent to their construction and could easily be corrected by tightening the bolts if desired. Minor glaze crazing and a few natural firing imperfections typical of hand-crafted faience of this period are present, none of which diminish the urn’s decorative charm.

Shipping & Packaging

• Fully tracked and insured delivery.
• Shipping cost includes professional packaging, handling, and postage.
• Carefully packed using recycled materials where possible.
• Customs paperwork provided for smooth international delivery.

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