Grand Pair of 18th C Carved Yorkstone Urns Owned by the Duke of Marlborough

This is one pair of an amazing and stately set of four hand-carved campana-form urns with quarter-lobed bodies and plain everted rims on their original tiered plinths. They originally decorated one of the Duke of Marlborough's gardens at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire (a listed National Trust property) and they deserve to go to an outstanding, if not historic, garden. Hand-carved from Yorkstone, a very heavy and hearty stone capable of withstanding virtually any climate, we have left these urns outside in CT over many winters and only covered the urn mouths. They have an amazing patina with moderate greening to the stone and some moss. Overall in very good structural condition, with no instability, they do have losses to the plinths and urn rims, which is to be expected of urns of their age and quality. We commissioned what is known as a "sympathetic restoration" to 3 of the 4 urns and plinths in England by a master stone mason. This included cutting 2 new blocks of Yorkstone for 2 bottom bases, but this pair of urns has their original bases. The new pieces have since weathered to a uniform greenish-taupe color with moss and it is difficult to tell where the restoration was done. Please note that these urns have planting wells that can accept 8" diameter flower baskets or a profuse planting of annuals, even though urns of this stature would not have been planted in the 18th C. Please note that the plinths measure 21 inches wide x 21.25 inches deep x 29 3/8 inches high, while the urns measure 32.25 inches high x 24 3/8 inches diameter. The planting well is 8 inches high x 8.5 inches diameter at the top. Each urn/plinth breaks down into 6 pieces for easier transport, but approximate weight for each urn with plinth is 600 lbs.

England, CA 1780.

H: 61.63 in D: 24 3/8 in W: 24 3/8 in

Ref: CUR 1051A