Busacca Gallery

An Astonishing work of art! A small old golden bronze jardiniere plant bowl. 4-1/2"H x 6"W x 4-1/2"D at the lip. Interesting cast details on the miniature jardiniere include grapevine handles, vine and clusters around the underside of the lip, masks of men around the sides atop a lion skin, partially gilt finish. Condition: Corrosion and verdegris and wear on the surface, interior soils.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jardiniere

Jardinière is a French word, from the feminine form of "gardener." Jardinière has three meanings: The first meaning of jardinière is a receptacle (usually a ceramic pot or urn) or more rarely a stand upon which, or into which, plants may be placed. (The French themselves refer to tabletop versions of such receptacles as cachepots.) Jardinières tend to be highly decorative. They are sometimes used as garden accent elements for large plants and for raised culinary and herb gardens.

There are some English words which have no equivalent in French, but then there are a great many more French words ... for which we have no English. One of these is jardinière. Even in French it does not quite rightly express its meaning, because the obvious meaning of jardinière, is female gardener, whereas what we understand by it ... is a receptacle for holding pot-plants.