A pair of George III bronzed plaster figural torchères in the manner of Humphrey Hopper circa 1800

Electrified, restorations.

Overall fair restored condition; drilled for electricity; old repaired breaks to tops of bases; painted surface restored; one figure appears to have an old repaired break to her proper left forearm holding the torch; the same figure with some small chips to the paint of gown and headdress; the other figure with very minor chips to paint of gown.
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.

Figurative lamps manufactured from 'bronzed' plaster became highly fashionable at the beginning of the nineteenth century. They were often modelled, as here, as 'vestal virgins' – the priestesses who kept the sacred fire burning in the temple of Vesta, the Roman goddess of hearth and home. The theme was given popular impetus after the discovery of a "House of the Vestals" in Pompeii and by the public display of neoclassical interiors in the connoisseur Thomas Hope's London mansion. Perhaps the best known of the companies producing such models was that of the sculptor Humphrey Hopper (1765-1844), who made a wide range of ornamental figures in plaster and terracotta intended as supports for lamps, candelabra and clocks.