19th Century French Louis Revival Marble & Ormolu Occasional Table

This is a beautiful antique French Louis Revival circular centre table with ornate ormolu decoration typical of the Louis XIV period, circa 1870. The inset marble top has a three-quarter length pierced brass gallery with a single drawer beneath. The four tapering legs are joined by an undertier and terminate in ormolu lion’s paw feet. There is no mistaking the unique quality and elaborate design, which is certain to make it a talking point in your home and a fine embellishment to your reception room. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 79 x width 59 x depth 59 Dimensions in inches: Height 31.1 x width 23.2 x depth 23.2 Ormolu (from French ‘or moulu’, signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze. The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-colored veneer known as ‘gilt bronze’. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colocr. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).