A gilt-bronze, rock-crystal, smoke quartz and amethyst ten-light chandelier 18th century and later

the open cage centred by a flying bird, issuing six S-scrolled branches with floral-shaped drip-pans and nozzles hung with differently sized pear-shaped faceted drops, some surmounted by rosettes, others by flowers, flanked by further branches surmounted by faceted obelisks, with large spherical boss finial, alterations and replacements, fitted for electricity

 

 

 

The faceted obelisk ornaments are of later date. The nozzles and the branches directly underneath the nozzles are possibly of later date. Alterations to the three vertical bronze rods, noticeable by some colour differences and the possibly later attached extra poles. The central stem below the corona replaced. The diverse crystal drops have minor chips, cracks and fritting, some are of later date. In overall good condition. Highly attractive because of the rock-crystal and amethyst.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

ROCK CRYSTAL

Rock crystal is in reality quartz. A material of exceptional hardness with indices of light refraction close to that of a diamond, quartz has been mined and worked since antiquity. In the Middle Ages, this rare material was used almost exclusively on religious objects. A prohibitively expensive material, Cristal de roche was first mined in France in small quantities in the 17th century and its rarity forced artisans to innovate. The imitation of crystal began in Venice in the 15th century - the art of the glassmaker being to recreate the limpidity and luminosity of rock crystal. To do this, the glassmakers invented a 'crystal' made in reality of glass combined with a mixture of potassium, silicon, manganese and lead oxide heated to between 1200 and 1500 degrees. This crystal imitated rock crystal, although it displays a metallic colouring. This crystal de roche should not be confused with what is now called crystal. The latter was a development of 18th century Bohemia and, subsequently France with the Manufactures Royales de cristaux. It is only rock crystal, that noble and rare material, which today retains its prestige and value.

CHANDELIERS AND ROCK CRYSTAL IN THE 18TH CENTURY

Rock crystal first appears as small beads on candelabras and chandeliers - not yet called lustres - in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 18th century the discovery of new seams in Central Europe allowed the mining of larger blocks of crystal, which could in turn be worked into pyramids, drops and stars. The highest value was historically based, like diamonds, on two things - the weight and the clarity or limpidity of the crystal. The clearer the better, hence the phrase d'une tres belle eau when referring to crystal.

Perhaps the earliest recorded-reference in France is in 1697, when Louis XIV offered twelve grand 'lustres' in 'cristal de roche' to the King of Siam. Louis XV also possessed a chandelier with twelve branches in his chambre a coucher at Versailles which had been delivered by Delaroue and Slodtz. This was commented on by the duc de Luynes: 'on a mis dans la chambre du roi, un chandelier en cristal de roche d'une grande beauté et que l'on estime au moins a 100 000 livres'.'
In June 1749, Bouret de Villaumont bought un lustre de cristal de roche monté en lyre à six branches for 4,690 livres. This seems cheap in comparison to the 'grand lustre' owned by the marquise de Pompadour at Bellevue, for which Lazare Duvaux charged 30 livres in 1752 just for replacing one bobèche.
In 1756, a magnificent lustre with six lights fetched 16,000 livres in the duc de Tallard sale. Twenty years later, that with eight branches from the collection of Blondel de Gagny fetched 18,000 livres.
A further rock crystal chandelier was included in the sale of the marchand Julliot in 1780 and the extensive description again underlines the esteem in which these princely possessions were held in the 18th century. It fetched 15,000 livres to the lustrier ordinaire du roi Alexis Delaroue. Finally, in 1793 a rock crystal chandelier ordered in Paris fetched the astronomical sum of 38,000 livres.

A closely related chandelier, formerly in the Champalimaud Collection, possibly by the same workshop, was sold at Christie's London, July 6, 2005, lot 54. 

Another exceptional rock crystal chandelier, was sold from the collection of Baron de Rédé at the Hôtel Lambert, Sotheby's Paris, 16 March 2005, lot 134.