Stunning and unusual Holy water font depicting an angel presenting a chalice to a person on his knees. The angel has an arm raised towards the cross at the top of the font. 
The font is marked 'Charleville' at the back. Charleville-Mézières is a town in the North of France famous for its foundries. 
I found this specific model in a catalogue for the foundry Corneau Alfred. The catalogue dates from the 1880s. I found it in a later catalogue when the foundry became Deville, Pailliette et Cie. There seems to be something written above 'Charleville' but it is almost completey erased so I can't say which foundry it comes from. It could have been reproduced at a later time.
I have only found records of it being made in cast iron but here the metal seems different. It looks more like a patinated bronze. It has a red tone in large places. The gold is visible in small places and at the back. Scratches on the sides at the back seem to indicate the metal is gold inside. There is small scratch on the side of the cross and we can see gold underneath the red (last photograph). The texture is not smooth as seen in the photographs. The font is incredibly heavy ( 1.7 kilograms).
There are black stains and deep scratches at the front and the colour is not even as seen in the photographs.
Small green corrosion spots and white marks here and there.
There is a loop at the back but I would be cautious before hanging on the wall as the font is really heavy.
It is still in fantastic condition and would be a great addition to a home altar.
Size: approx. 34.3 x 15.3 cm / 13.38 x 5.90 inches
Weight 1.7 kilograms.
The pictures are part of the description.
 
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