Pair of Lidded Bowls (vases cassolettes à monter)

These lidded bowls were intended to hold potpourri, the smell of which passed through the pierced collar. Containers for potpourri first appeared in the 1700s in France, made from precious metals, porcelain, lacquer, or hardstones; recipes for their sweet-smelling contents were soon prevalent.

By means of a drawing in the archives of the Sèvres porcelain manufactory of a similar, but unmounted bowl, scholars have identified the craftsman who made the twisted and coiled gilt bronze mounts on this piece. The drawing, dated 1784, has an inscription noting that it was to be mounted by "Tomier," Pierre-Philippe Thomire, one of the most celebrated bronze casters of the late 1700s. Thomire is known to have provided bronze mounts for many similar bowls.