POSSIBLY BY JAMES MOORE, CIRCA 1720

The 'gueridon' stands for vases or candelabra would have formed part of an early 18th century pier set, accompanied by a table and mirror. Designed in the Louis Quatorze 'Roman' or 'antique' manner popularised by the Oeuvres (1702) of Daniel Marot (d. 1752), 'architect' to William III, their foliate capitals also feature on torcheres supplied for Hampton Court Palace in 1715 by Royal cabinet-maker James Moore (d. 1726) (P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1927, vol. III, p. 143, fig. 11). Moore's repertoire of gilt-gesso furniture was extensive and included Boughton and Blenheim Palace in addition to the Royal palaces. As this torchere design remained in fashion and was executed in walnut and mahogany as late as the 1740s, it is equally possible that James Moore Jr., and his partner William Turing, may have executed the torcheres as they supplied four faceted gilt-gesso stands in an earlier style for Kensington Palace in 1726-27 (T. Murdoch, 'The king's cabinet-maker the giltwood furniture of James Moore the Elder', The Burlington Magazine, June 2003, p. 408 fig. 2).

A virtually identical pair of torcheres was sold Christie's, New York, 29 October 1983, lot 202. The general form and decoration relate to those of pedestals from the collection of Margaret, Countess of Suffolk and Berkshire, sold Christie's, London, 25 July 1969, lot 127, while a pair from the J. Thursby Pelham Collection features similar shell-carved cushioned and faceted stems (illustrated P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1954, rev. ed., vol. III, p. 148, fig. 9).