A Marble Candelabrum Base, Roman Imperial, Early Antonine, circa mid 2nd Century A.D.

of triangular form with winged lion feet surmounted by filleted ram's heads, each side carved in relief with a broad leaf garland hanging from the ram's heads and supporting a water bird.

Pietro Stettiner Collection, Rome, early 20th Century
Cesare & Ercole Canessa, New York, 1921
Saint Louis Art Museum, inv. no. 134:1921, deaccessioned in 1989

Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Phototek, 1929, neg. nos. 29.342-343
Hans-Ulrich Cain, Römische Marmorkandelaber, Mainz am Rhein, 1985, pp. 6, 89, 137, and 203, Kat. Nr. 154, pl. 56,1.2

Feet restored, so are lower bodies of two lions, wing tips of one lion on one side, parts of one ram's horns, and small areas of garland ribbons close to upper corners on two sides, another ram's head has almost missing horn and large dent on top of other, two birds have damaged beaks, stress crack above one lion's heads, minor chips and abrasions overall, more important ones along the edges, surface somewhat weathered.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Stettiner Collection also included a candelabrum shaft with double pine cone terminal (see Cain, op. cit., cat. no. 155, pl. 88,3), which presumably stood on the present base.

The art dealer and collector Pietro Stettiner (1855-?) published a generously illustrated book on Rome's monuments (Roma nei suoi monumenti: Illustrazione storico-cronologica, Rome, 1911), as well as several monographs and articles in the field of ancient numismatics. See Ludwig Pollak, Römische Memoiren: Künstler, Kunstliebhaber, und Gelehrte, 1893-1943, M. Merkel Guldan, ed., Rome, 1994, p. 152: "Another numismatist in Rome was Commendatore Pietro Stettiner. The house at no. 68 via del Boschetto belonged to him and he himself lived on the second floor; connected to it was a charming small garden with old trees, which was contiguous to the University botanical gardens on the via Milano. Many wonderful hours did I spend there [in his company]. Stettiner did not [speak] German. His grandfather had come to Florence from Germany, had entered the service of the grand duke, and converted from the Jewish to the Catholic faith. Stettiner himself was an Inspector General in the Italian Postal Services and as such traveled a lot through Italy and bought antiquities. He was mostly interested in Roman coins, of which he possessed an important collection. Besides, he owned a good number of ancient sculptures, as well as paintings." Also see Th. Hoving, False Impressions: The Hunt for Big-time Art Fakes, pp. 89, 93, and 96, and D. Sox, Bachelors of Art: Edward Perry Warren & the Lewes House Brotherhood, London, 1991, pp. 117 and 120.