Porphyry was prized during the 17th and 18th centuries as a rare and precious stone. Urns, columns and other artifacts were transported from Italy to France where collectors frequently had them mounted in gilt bronze. The famous connisseur the duc d'Aumont owned a pair similar to these which were acquired by Louis XVI at the duc's sale in 1781 and are now in the Louvre. The extreme hardness of porphyry made it very difficult to carve and large scale objects are rare before the 19th century.