Antique Hollow Ormolu Mount
Approximate Dimensions:
Condition: Good with no issues.
An antique hollow ormolu mount is a decorative metal element, typically crafted from bronze or brass, used in furniture and decorative arts. Ormolu, derived from French for ground gold, involves applying a thin layer of finely ground gold to the metal surface.
These mounts gained popularity in 18th and 19th-century Europe, particularly in France. Craftsmen utilised ormolu mounts to enhance furniture, mirrors, clocks, and various decorative items. Designs featured intricate motifs like scrolls, foliage, and figurative elements.
Ormolu mounts served both aesthetic and functional purposes, enhancing furniture appearance and providing protection to vulnerable areas. The hollow construction allowed integration into various furniture components, contributing to the ornate style of the prevalent periods. Today, antique ormolu mounts are valued for historical significance, sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of period furniture and decorative arts.
Ormolu, a gilt bronze, decorated 17th and 18th-century furniture with a brass alloy gilded in gold leaf. Using a casting technique, craftsmen created molds, filled them with molten brass, gilded the finished mount, and polished it for a mirror-like finish.
Popular in the 17th and 18th centuries for adding affordable luxury, ormolu mounts remain sought after today for antique restoration and new furniture creation.