Beautiful art nouveau incense burner, probably French, late 1800's to turn-of-the-century. Created with cire-perdue or 'lost wax' method. Intricate detail of stylized animal/floral imagery with a slight Chinese influence.

Fantastic eagle-gargoyle handles, peacocks in flight, strange Chinese looking dog on top fantastic animal/floral detail on feet.

Piece is unsigned. Casting is very thick, close to 1/4". Piece shows extensive use as an incense burner as shown by tarry residue inside top.

Although this piece is unsigned, and may be the work of an unknown artist, it does bear a strong stylistic resemblance to some lost wax work of Lalique as well stylistic and technical resemblances to French masters who created cire perdue bronzes of animal subjects, such as Auguste Nicholas-Cain and Christopher Fratin (both working during late 19th Century).

Art Nouveau, the 'modern look' for the end of the 19th century, was created by designers who brought together decorative elements from all cultures, including non-European ones, emphasized fluid lines and organic animal/vegetable forms. This innovative decorative style was showcased at the 1900 Paris World's Fair.