A PAIR OF 19TH CENTURY GILT BRONZE AND MARBLE VASES AND COVERS OF RUSSIAN DESIGNthe cassolettes each formed of a tapering ovoid urn with domed covers surmounted by ormolu fruiting finials and pierced anthemions, the rim flanked by goats' head masks...

A PAIR OF 19TH CENTURY GILT BRONZE AND MARBLE VASES AND COVERS OF RUSSIAN DESIGNthe cassolettes each formed of a tapering ovoid urn with domed covers surmounted by ormolu fruiting finials and pierced anthemions, the rim flanked by goats' head masks, the bodies with a procession of female muses, supported by winged cherubs above rectangular stepped plinths with eagle mounts, on toupie feet,40cm high (2)Footnote:These vases are of the same form as an ormolu pair in the Palace of Pavlovsk, and a further pair that were sold from Pavlovsk in the Soviet sales at Rudolph Lepke, "Kunstwerke aus den bestanden Leningrader Museen und Schlosser Eremitage, Palais Michailoff, Gatschina U.A.", Berlin, 6 November 1928, Lots 170-171.The Pavlovsk examples may have been cast in Russia by the bronzier Frederick Bergenfeldt, who was influenced by the French master, Claude Galle.See Christie's, London, 7 July 2005, lot 195 for a Russian, early 19th century pair of this design.