Italian Grand Tour Alabaster Urn

An Italian Grand Tour Alabaster Urn with Gilt-Metal Mounts, Florence or Volterra, c.1840–1870

A well-preserved mid-19th-century alabaster covered urn of elegant Neoclassical form, finely turned in warm honey-coloured alabaster with natural veining and translucency. The vessel is mounted with original gilt-metal bands, set on a stepped circular plinth and raised on three gilt-metal paw feet, each individually cast and solder-mounted in the characteristic Florentine manner. The domed lid is crowned with a crisply modelled gilt-metal dolphin finial, a classical Grand Tour motif drawn from ancient Roman prototypes.

The underside construction, including hand-cast brass mounts, soldered feet, and lathe-finished brass ring is typical of Florentine workshop practice in the mid-19th century. The gilding retains an attractively mellow surface, and the alabaster remains in good condition for its age, minor nicks and chips to commensurate with age.