Pair of Late 19th Century Carved Limestone Gate Finials w/ Fruit Baskets

A pair of late 19th-century carved limestone gate finials, each modeled as an overflowing basket of fruit and flowers set above a basketweave base. The stone presents a soft gray tone with subtle mossy green highlights, bearing a richly timeworn patina from long outdoor exposure. The carving retains strong volume and an appealing silhouette, with grapes, apples, and open blossoms rendered in generous, rounded relief that reads beautifully from all angles.

Baskets of fruit and flowers were a favored motif in classical and neoclassical ornament, symbolizing abundance, hospitality, and welcome at an entrance. In the late 1800s, stone carvers across France produced such finials for villa and townhouse portals, working durable local limestone to withstand the elements while shaping compositions intended to be legible at a distance. These examples embody that tradition, balancing robust modeling with a softly aged surface that speaks to their history.

The pair can be set atop gate piers to frame an approach, used to anchor terrace corners, or placed to flank garden steps for an immediate sense of arrival. Indoors, they work equally well positioned symmetrically on pedestals or beneath a console at an entry, introducing architectural presence and garden character to an interior. Their substantial scale, weathered surfaces, and romantic subject lend calm gravitas and a layered sense of history to both formal and relaxed settings.

Matching pair with flower baskets available for separate purchase here.

Condition and patina consistent with age.
Each measures approx. 13¾" high x 16½" diameter
Each measures approx. 35cm high x 42cm diameter