Dulac vases; Raingo Frères, France, 19th century.

Pair of Potpourris (Dulac Vases); RAINGO FRÈRES, France, 19th century.
Sèvres blue porcelain and gilt bronze mounts. Enameled brass interior.
Stamped on the base.
Signed.
Measurements: 41 x 26 x 24 cm.
Pair of ornamental cups made in blue porcelain of Sèvres and mounts in gilded bronze, with elements in relief that include big feline masks of whose jaws hang the handles. The two pieces have the same design with a square bronze base on which sits the round foot chiseled with leaf details. The blue porcelain body creates a great contrast with the gilt of the bronze that sits on the upper part, with mounts for the handles, already mentioned, and garland-like ornaments. The lids also in porcelain topped with a bronze applique as a pineapple.
The watchmaker and bronze maker Raingo Frères was founded in 1813 by Zacharie Joseph Raingo. He was born in 1775 in Belgium, lived in Tournai, developed his activity in Ghent and moved to Paris in 1813. In Tournai he probably made one of his first astronomical clocks with planetarium, which was his specialty. Raingo was appointed "Horloger-Mécanicien" by the Duke of Orleans and "Horloger-Mécanicien du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne" (Purveyor to the King of France) in 1824. King George IV of England bought a planetary clock from Raingo in 1824. In 1834, the company received an honorable mention at an exhibition in Paris. Although the four Raingo brothers were first known as watchmakers, in 1841 they added bronzes and furniture to their repertoire. Known for the quality of their ormolu (gold plating), by 1860 Raingo Frères had supplied bronzes, ornaments (decorations) and table pieces for the apartments of Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugénie, examples of which are now in the Louvre collection. They then made small models of works by contemporary artists such as Pradier, Carrier-Belleuse and Auguste Moreau. They also collaborated with the famous cabinetmaker François Linké. In 1862, the company was present at the London International Exhibition. At the World Fairs of 1867, 1878 and 1889, the company also won several medals, including a gold medal in 1898. Some of its works can be found in various museums, such as the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris, the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan and the Royal Palace in Madrid.