A pair of gilt-bronze candlesticks, Louis XV

with acanthus leaves, rocaille scrolls and night butterflies ; (drilled for electricity)

Maurice Segoura Gallery, Paris

L. Bourne and V. Brett, L'art du luminaire, Paris, 1992, p. 62
A. de Champeaux, Portefeuille des Arts décoratifs, Paris, 1889, pl. 134
G. Henriot, Encyclopédie du Luminaire, Paris, 1934, t. 2, pl. 161
P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of furniture, t. III, London, 1996, pp. 1202-1203, ill. 234
H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen,t. I, Munich, 1986, p. 105, fig. 2.I.7

The illustration of the catalogue is accurate despite being too orange and bright. Good overall condition with a very nice quality of chasing and a lot of details. As stated in the catalogue, the pair of candlesticks is drilled for electricity. Very beautiful model after Slodtz and Meissonnier, two of the most important designers of Louis XV's reign.
"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."

This candlestick model is comparable to works by several ornamentalists during King Louis XV's reign including the Slodtz brothers and Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier.

Architect-decorator and son of sculptor Sébastien Slodtz (1655-1726), Sébastien-Antoine Slodtz (1695-1754) worked on many occasions with his brothers, René-Michel Slodtz (1705-1764), called Michelangelo, and Paul-Ambroise (1702-1758), both sculptors, for King Louis XV's Menus-Plaisirs (ceremony preparations). They created numerous ephemeral sets for royal and princely events, and produced many ornamental models. Although their collaboration makes it difficult to attribute precisely which one to them, our pair of candlesticks is nevertheless close to a drawing by Sébastien-Antoine Slodtz, now in the prints department of the National Library of France (ill. by A. de Champeaux).

This type of candlestick with sinuous lines, adorned with moth and vegetable motifs, were quite successful, and Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1695-1750), a prolific Rococo style decorator, also produced examples with a bulbous stem comprising a foliaged cluster.