Pair of Antique Silver-Plated Hand Vases with Lily of the Valley Motif

An exceptionally rare and deeply meaningful pair of antique silver-plated hand vases, exquisitely sculpted and rich with 19th-century symbolism and sentiment. Each vase is formed as an elegant hand gently supporting a trumpet-shaped vessel, finely engraved with lily of the valley blossoms—a timeless emblem of humility, renewal, devotion, and spiritual grace.

What elevates this pair beyond decorative silver is its original presentation inscription. Each base is engraved Orléans, Jan. 1st, 1875, with one side bearing the dedication “Our Pastor.” This poignant wording strongly suggests a New Year’s Day gift of gratitude, most likely presented by an entire church congregation to their beloved clergyman—an object created to honor service, leadership, and faith.

The survival of both vases together, with inscriptions intact and legible, is remarkable. The silver plating retains a soft, authentic patina consistent with age, enhancing their historic presence while preserving crisp sculptural detail in the hands, cuffs, and floral engraving. These vases transcend ornament. They are objects of remembrance—quiet witnesses to a moment of collective appreciation and devotion in 19th-century France.

Beautiful displayed with single stems or admired as sculptural forms, they are equally suited to a refined interior, a faith-based collection, or a serious assemblage of presentation silver. A rare opportunity to acquire a matched, inscribed pair with both documented date and purpose—objects that were never meant to be ordinary, and have never become so. A matched pair bearing a moment of gratitude, faith, and remembrance—Orléans, 1875. 

• Measures 9-1/4" h x 4" x 4".