Pair of patinated bronze flame urns Val d'Osne foundry, Paris
H 57 cms. W: 25. W base: 22.
The Val Osne company was an art foundry founded in 1835 by Jean Pierre Andre Victor, inventor of cast iron ornamental technique. Its original purpose was for manufacturing street furniture and decorative cast iron, the company quickly became the largest art cast iron maker in France under the name "Val d'Osne art foundry".
After his death, his nephew, André Hippolyte (1826-1891), was in charge of the company. The workshops were located in Val d'Osne (Haute Marne, France) and its headquarters and gallerie at the 58th Boulevard Voltaire in Paris. They took part in many International Exhibitions in the 19th century and were awarded for many exhibits. The foundries were working with many important artists such as Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, Mathurin Moreau (shareholder in the company) or James Pradier. In 1931 the foundry was purchased by its competitor the Sommevoire Factory (today called GHM Company) which still produces street furnitures.