Beschreibung:

A pair of Italian gilt-bronze-mounted marble busts of blackamoors, Venetian, 18th century, on gilt-bronze-mounted brass and tortoiseshell inlaid première-and contre-partie boulle marquetry ebony veneered pedestals stamped N. P. Severin, Régence, circa 1715 18th century the marble busts with nero del Belgo heads, giallo antico veneered cloaks, the lapels in alabastro striato, over rosso antico tunics with pierced gilt-bronze frogging and buttons, with green sashes their feathered turbans with gilt-lead tassels; on pale brown marble socles; one pedestal in première-partie the other in contre-partie boulle marquetry, each with a rectangular brass inlaid ebony veneered top above a guilloche border enclosing flowerheads above a concave frieze with an acanthus spray at each corner above a bearded Bacchic mask and a gilt-bronze stippled band centred by a demi-lune, the front and sides with a boulle marquetry panel with rinceaux and foliage and scrolls within a foliate gilt-bronze border within brass borders, the flared base with a gilt-bronze alternating band of foliage, on a plinth base with a central ogee shaped reserve; one stamped twice N. P. Severin, the other once ; later iron brackets on the reverse, some minor losses to inlay busts: one 96cm high, 66cm wide, the other 93cm high, 66cm wide; each pedestal: 131cm high, 52cm wide, one 34.5cm deep, the other 33.5cm deep; 3ft.1½in., 2ft.1½in., 3ft.½in., 2ft.1½in., 4ft..3in., 1ft.8in., 1ft.1in., 1ft.¾in.