A fine set of four Louis XVI ormolu two-branch wall lights circa 1770, after a design by Jean-Louis Prieur

each backplate surmounted by an urn draped with laurel swags above a putto continuing to a tapered volute and holding laurel garlands draped over the flanking candle branches; with campana-shaped drip pans cast with laurel leaves and fluted cylindrical leaf-cast nozzles.

Collection of Elim Pavlovitch Demidoff, Prince of San Donato (d. 1943), the Russian diplomat who served as Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece from 1915-1917

Sold, Sotheby's, Monaco, February 23, 1986, lot 877

This model is based upon a design by Jean-Louis Prieur.  An identical example in a private collection is illustrated, Ottomeyer, Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, Vol. I, p. 173, pl. 3.5.7.  An almost identical pair was sold, Sotheby's, New York, October 31, 1987, lot 46, and a similar pair with two candle branches was sold, Sotheby's, London, April 29, 1965, lot 60.