Unusual Artifacts: A Commemorative Veilleuse, 1827

Veilleuse
French, 1827
The Royal Collection

This porcelain veilleuse—an object used for warming tea by means of an oil burner in the base—was created in France in 1827. The ornately-gilt teapot features an “animal head” spout or “spewer.” The base of the veilleuse is made to look like a crenellated tower upon which a curious scene has been painted. The scene depicts, of all things, a giraffe.


However, it’s not as strange as it first sounds. In 1824, France’s King Charles X was given the gift of a giraffe by the Pasha of Egypt. The giraffe’s arduous journey across continents was a cause for celebration, and its arrival in Paris resulted in a fleeting trend of giraffe-themed clothing, jewelry objects and, even, hair styles.

Queen Mary (Mary of Teck) purchased this veilleuse. In 1930, she gave it to the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.