EXTRAORDINARY RUSSIAN BELLE EPOQUE SILVER PLATE & MALACHITE FOUNTAIN
Late 19th Century. The base marked in numerous places 762, also with small tags inscribed indistinctly.

The octagonal font supporting a figure of a bearded male nude, presumably a River god, reclining on a chaise lounge, each corner of the font supporting a putto with arms raised, interspersed with spouts cast as frogs and animal heads, the tapered exterior of the font applied with stylized or scrolling foliage, the lowest with ogee molded panels decorated with the twelve symbols of the Zodiac dispersed amongst foliage, supported on a shaft centered by four twisted malachite half sized columns surmounted capitals supporting four projecting scantily clad winged female nudes, each holds a wreath, presumably representing Justice, the lower portion of each column with a bearded male nude, all above an eight stepped octagonal plinth, the upper and lower steps with applied foliage, centering two malachite applied registers, raised on eight scrolled feet.

Height 47 in., Diameter at base 26 in.

The fountain is in reasonably good condition. The silvered elements have been lacquered at one point. Overall it needs a thorough cleaning and polishing. Some of the malachite columns are damaged. This damage is visible in the images. There are some cracks and missing pieces from the spirals. The upper basin is heavy, if that should turn more than a quarter-round, the columns will crack further. Hence in transport the fountain needs to be stabilized. There may be some minor elements missing, a foliate scroll, perhaps a small mount of sorts. The sheer number of decorative elements deem it likely we missed somethin very minor that is lacking. One of the feet is cracked and a piece missing, this would seem to be a minor issue. We removed one of the panels from the lower octagon base to see it's underside and to reveal some structural elements. That panel is present but unattached. The detail and chasing is very good. As noted there are two small tags at the base which appear to have either a signature or brief inscription in script, unreadable or indecipherable. Next to that element there is a circular tag with the incised number 762. The fountain is very impressive.