Pair Of Snake Handled Meissen Urns

This rare pair of Meissen Schlangenvase urns brings together sculptural drama and neoclassical refinement in glazed white porcelain with gold accents. Each amphora-form body rises on a fluted, domed pedestal foot richly detailed with gilt gadrooning and egg-and-dart banding at the neck. The defining feature, the double entwined snake handles, coil with striking naturalism from shoulder to rim. The white ground glows with a flawless glossy finish, allowing the warm gold accents to read as luxurious punctuation rather than ornament.

Hallmarked with the Meissen crossed swords with pommels on hilts (19th century) and model number E 153. The shape was modeled by Ernst August Leuteritz (German, 1818–1893), who invigorated Meissen’s lagging sales by introducing neoclassical shapes. Leuteritz designed the Schlangenvase in the Neo-Empire style, circa 1863–1865. He remains one of the most celebrated modelers in Meissen’s storied history, and examples of his work are held in major museum collections worldwide.