Jardinière - Brass - León's Heads






Holds a bachelor's degree in history of art and architecture, with 12 years of experience in decorative arts.
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This French Napoleon III brass planter with lion heads dates from 1850–1900.
Description from the seller
An hammered copper planter with a handle and lion’s head feet, a piece from the 19th century fully immersed in the decorative universe of the Napoleon III style, where metal takes on a theatrical, almost architectural presence, and every detail is designed to convey weight, luxury and character.
The body, wide and slightly flared, shows that recognizable handcrafted work of hammered copper: small undulations, surface tremors, warm reflections that shift with the light. That texture is not merely aesthetic; it is the craftsman’s mark, the repeated strike that brings the metal to life and turns it into an object with soul. The upper rim, generous and well-defined, provides a sense of openness and solemnity, as if the piece were conceived to preside over an important corner of the house.
The handle, sturdy and fastened with visible rivets, introduces a functional gesture that in Napoleon III style also becomes decorative. It is not a simple practical element: it is a visual accent that balances the body’s heft and reinforces the idea of a noble object, meant to be moved with care and presence.
The lion heads, true protagonists, anchor the planter in the imagery of the Second Empire. This type of support, inherited from Neoclassical language and the taste for the monumental, makes the planter something more than a container: a small decorative cabinet, worthy of a bourgeois 19th-century salon.
Taken together, the piece combines solidity, warm shine and historical theatricality, offering that characteristic Napoleon III mix: accessible luxury, visible craftsmanship and a touch of decorative fantasy. A planter that today functions as a starring object, capable of adding depth, texture and presence to any interior.
Tracked shipping and careful packaging.
Seller's Story
An hammered copper planter with a handle and lion’s head feet, a piece from the 19th century fully immersed in the decorative universe of the Napoleon III style, where metal takes on a theatrical, almost architectural presence, and every detail is designed to convey weight, luxury and character.
The body, wide and slightly flared, shows that recognizable handcrafted work of hammered copper: small undulations, surface tremors, warm reflections that shift with the light. That texture is not merely aesthetic; it is the craftsman’s mark, the repeated strike that brings the metal to life and turns it into an object with soul. The upper rim, generous and well-defined, provides a sense of openness and solemnity, as if the piece were conceived to preside over an important corner of the house.
The handle, sturdy and fastened with visible rivets, introduces a functional gesture that in Napoleon III style also becomes decorative. It is not a simple practical element: it is a visual accent that balances the body’s heft and reinforces the idea of a noble object, meant to be moved with care and presence.
The lion heads, true protagonists, anchor the planter in the imagery of the Second Empire. This type of support, inherited from Neoclassical language and the taste for the monumental, makes the planter something more than a container: a small decorative cabinet, worthy of a bourgeois 19th-century salon.
Taken together, the piece combines solidity, warm shine and historical theatricality, offering that characteristic Napoleon III mix: accessible luxury, visible craftsmanship and a touch of decorative fantasy. A planter that today functions as a starring object, capable of adding depth, texture and presence to any interior.
Tracked shipping and careful packaging.
