French enamel vases for small floral bouquets or a branch of violets or "posies". The pair of matching posey vases you see here are fabulous works of art. Dating c.1850-1900, hardly even any tiny hairlines visible in our huge enlargements, and no restoration nor flaws to note other than age to the bronze rims and bases, perhaps a tiny nip to the cut rim of each of the 2 original blown glass inserts. You won't see a flaw on these with naked eye. Fabulous - superb enamel work. And now these fine Victorian violets or posey vase pair is ready to enjoy and display. It's the fine jewel-like enamel that these are valued for, the base color is a rich semi translucent ruby or red with raised white scrolls and gold accenting encircling both pieces. The work is stunning, as near pristine as we could hope for given their age. FABULOUS find!
The kiln-fired enamelist is an artist working in powders, almost blindly since the coloration is not at all like the finished product. Enamel powder suspended in fluid, all of it looking like muddy shades of mauve to blue as the artist applies it to the slightly convex copper (or sometimes silver or gold) plaque. The work is done in layers, kiln-fired in between, and it is only at the end firing that the final image is as you see it. I've worked this enamel process before and it is exceedingly difficult to master. It would take years for an apprentice to become a master, and this work is definitely by a master enamelist.
