Cupid Playing the Flute

Country of Origin & Era

• Origin: France (likely Paris foundries/manufacturers).
• Period: Mid-to-late 19th Century (circa 1860–1880), produced during the Napoleon III / Second Empire period in the Rococo Revival (Louis XV revival) style.

Maker Attribution & Identification

• Foundry/Maker: Most decorative desk stands of this specific type were produced unsigned by prominent Parisian bronze and ormolu foundries (fondeurs) or éditeurs d’art (such as Susse Frères, Barbedienne, or independent bronze workshops in the Marais district of Paris).
• The “Winged Feather” Lids: These stylized handles—combining an upturned scrolled wing with feathered/acanthus ribbing—were standardized cast components produced in Parisian parts foundries. They were catalog items widely shared among 19th-century bronze casters and mounted onto both glass and porcelain wells.

Detailed Description

• Central Figure: A finely cast gilt bronze (ormolu) winged putto/Cupid seated atop a fluted classical socle and scrolled acanthus plinth, depicted playing a transverse pipe/flute.
• Inkwells: A pair of removable, heavy clear cut-glass square cubic wells, each fitted with matching gilt bronze lift-off caps featuring reticulated floral/feathered textures and swept wing finials.
• Base Tray: A scalloped, rectangular plateau bordered in rich Rococo-style rocaille, scrolling foliate motifs, and shell work.
• Pen Rest: Integrated twin foliate rests at the front edge designed to hold a dip pen.
• Construction & Patina: Sand-cast bronze/brass with hand-chasing, secured underneath by a central threaded mounting assembly, showing an authentic aged gilt patina with natural verdigris oxidation on the underside.