180. A Pair of French ormolu surtout-de-table elements by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, circa 1820 Each with pink granite flared bowls on S-shaped tripartite scrolling foliate supports hung with an ivy leaves ring and centred by foliate shaft support, the concave triangular stepped plinth embellished with palmette motifs and foliate border, one base signed 'THOMIRE A PARIS.', the granite tazze most probably replaced, 24cm wide, 22.5cm high (9in wide, 8 1/2in high) Provenance Italian private collection These surtout-de-table elements were made by the celebrated bronzier fondeur-ciseleur, Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843). Thomire had his own atelier after working for the renowned bronzier Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813) and with ciseleur-doreur du roi Jean-Louis Prieur (d.circa 1785-1790). Famed for his production of finely-chased gilt-bronze objets de luxe, Thomire was made ciseleur de l'Empereur by Napoléon in 1809, his firm becoming fournisseur de leurs Majestés in 1811.