Beautiful pair of rare Sevres pate-sur-pate porcelain vases awarded to gold medal winners at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. Both measure approximately 13″ tall and 5.5″ at their widest point. These splendid vases were designed by M. O. Guillonet and executed by Bracquemond at the world famous porcelain factory of Sevres, and feature golden laurel branches hand-painted on a French blue background. Each features four ‘medallions’ portraying athletes in white against gray oval backgrounds bordered in light green. One of these gorgeous vases features fencing, polo, gymnastics, and pelote basque; the other depicts rowing, rugby, diving, and soccer. Both bear appropriate maker’s marks on the bottom and are in beautiful condition.
At the suggestion of the French Olympic Committee, these vases were developed to be given to the first place winners as a ‘special souvenir.’ Several different variations were produced to accommodate the many different sports, and they were presented by the Paris City Council to gold medal winners in individual events only. Surviving examples of these stunning trophy vases are of the utmost rarity and hardly ever offered in pairs.
