Two Austrian purple cut glass and gilt bronze lamps

Two Austrian purple cut glass and gilt bronze lamps
Austrian, Early 20th Century
Height 40cm, width 11cm, depth 11cm

These lamps are truly exceptional antique pieces of Austrian design. They were created in the early 20th century, in the refined Neoclassical style which was in fashion at the time. They are crafted from fine purple amethyst crystal glass and gilt bronze (ormolu).

The stems of the lamps are shaped like classical campagna vases which are covered by pointed purple glass covers. These covers are edged with foliate gilt bronze bands, and the glass is scalloped and encircled by cross-hatched bands. They are crowned by gilt bronze bulb sockets.  

The campagna vase-shaped stems feature flared purple glass necks which are fluted and cross-hatched at their centres. These spring from gilt bronze U-shaped bodies which are decorated with stiff-leaf patterns and fitted with short up-turned handles. These bodies stand on splayed gilt bronze feet which are set on cylindrical purple glass plinths, encircled by cross-hatched bands. The bottoms of the plinths are ringed by gilt bronze beaded wreaths which are fixed to square gilt bronze bases. Each base is set on four gilt bronze paw feet with scrolls tops.