ADAM'S Country House Collections Day II - 14th October 2025

27 Country House Collections|13 th - 14 th October 2025 457 A PAIR OF BRONZE FIGURES OF MERCURY AND DIANA, 19TH CENTURY Mercury the messenger of the gods, and Diana the Goddess of wild animals and the hunt, raised on circular socles, 84cm high € 800 - 1,200 458 A PAIR OF LIFE-SIZE FRENCH PAINTED CAST-IRON MODELS OF FLORENTINE PAGES CIRCA 1882, AFTER EDOUARD-CHARLES- MARIE HOUSSIN (1847-1917) Each holding a staff, inscribed ‘E.HOUSSIN/1882’, re-painted, supported on beige stone plinths. 218cm high, stands 60 x 60cm The casting of figures on a scale as grand as these Floren- tine Page Boys was made possible by the rapid advances in cast-iron production during the 19th century, a direct legacy of the Industrial Revolution. The rise of a prosper- ous middle class further stimulated demand, encourag- ing a dramatic expansion in the manufacture of cast-iron goods. Across Europe and America, foundries flourished, producing objects ranging from the domestic inkstand to monumental railway stations. By the mid-19th century, cast-iron had become the pre- ferred medium for garden ornament, its durability and affordability offering a compelling alternative to bronze. Statuary, figural lighting, fountains, and vases were all pro- duced in abundance, their decorative possibilities limited only by the imagination of the foundry. Nowhere was the popularity of cast-iron ornament more pronounced than in France. By the latter half of the cen- tury, two foundries in particular dominated both domestic and export markets. Chief among them was Val d’Osne, established in 1835, which grew rapidly through the acqui- sition of neighboring foundries in the Haute-Marne region. Its principal competitor, the firm of A. A. Durenne, founded in 1847 at Sommevoire, also secured a significant place in the history of 19th-century cast-iron production. € 800 - 1,200