LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY, PROBABLY FRENCH

Details

A PAIR OF PEWTER CEREMONIAL SCEPTRES
LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY, PROBABLY FRENCH
Representing the sun and moon, on later stands
31 ½ in. (80 cm.) high

Provenance

The Collection of Jacques and Galila Hollander; sold Christie's, Paris, 16 October 2013, lot 391.

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Lot Essay

These sceptres represent the sun and crescent moon. The sun and moon have throughout human history been deemed to have mystical importance and in the Bible, in Genesis l : 14-19, we are told that on the fourth day of creation "God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night". It is suggested that these French sceptres may represent the Sun King, Louis XIV, and his brother the Duke of Orleans, who is sometimes described as 'The Moon' to his brother's 'Sun'.

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