The Seasons Decorative Chargers by Elkington & Co.

This stunning pair of Victorian Renaissance Revival electrotype wall chargers was crafted by the inimitable Elkington and Co. The design, known as The Seasons, was the brainchild of the great Léonard Morel-Ladeuil, a French goldsmith and sculptor responsible for some of Elkington's most legendary designs. His The Seasons shields are exemplary of his artistry. Each features a border in high relief of reclining maidens representing the astrological signs, while the cavetto display griffin scrolls offset with ringed planets and plaques with months of the year. One plaque, representing January through June, features putti flying around a display of flowers at the center; the other, representing July through December, is adorned by motifs of the harvest. As a whole, they offer a stunning tribute to their respective seasons.

Elkington & Co. patented the first commercial electroplating process and held Royal Warrants for Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI. French-born master sculpture Morel-Ladeuil joined Elkington in 1859, producing designs for the firm for a total of 23 years. This monumental pair is among the finest results of this highly successful collaboration.

A similar example of the first six months' dish is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), while another pair was gifted by H.R.H. Prince Leopold to Bonamy Price, his political economy professor at Oxford. Another set is pictured on pages 84-87 in The Museum and the Factory by Alistair Grant and Angus Patterson.

Marked with design registration mark for 1869

21 1/4" diameter x 1 1/4" deep