Pair of Late 19th-Century Cast Iron Médicis Urns w/ Ram’s Head Handles - 17¾"

A striking pair of late 19th-century cast iron Médicis urns, distinguished by their sculptural ram’s head handles and richly weathered surface. The elegant flared bodies rise from square plinth bases through finely proportioned baluster stems, while the lower bowls are articulated with deep gadrooning in the classical tradition. Around the rim, a delicately cast frieze adds refinement. A foundry mark and model number remain visible along the inner rim, a subtle detail attesting to their industrial manufacture and period authenticity.

The cast iron surfaces have developed a beautifully nuanced patina over time, with layers of oxidation, mineral deposits, and traces of lichen softening the crispness of the casting while enriching the warm reddish-brown tones with a beautifully varied, tactile texture.

Whether placed on gate piers, anchoring a terrace, or half-hidden among ivy and boxwood, these urns bring an immediate sense of age and permanence to a space. Left empty, their weathered silhouettes read like fragments of an old estate garden; planted with lavender, trailing geraniums, or seasonal foliage, they take on the romantic charm of ornaments quietly inhabiting the landscape for generations. Their richly oxidised surfaces and sculptural ram’s head handles feel equally at home in the symmetry of a formal French garden or the softer poetry of a more naturalistic setting.