The design of these candlestick has traditionally been compared to a drawing in what was known as the 'Slodtz Album'. Recent research has, however, pointed out that that design is more likely to be by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier and that the drawing differs from this group of candlesticks (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, vol. III, pp. 1202-1204, cat. 234). The design of this lot can, however, not be attributed to Meissonnier, but is believed to date from 1735-1740 because a pair executed in silver, today at Althorp, by Thomas Gilpin is dated to 1744-1746. A Louis XV ormolu version of these candlesticks is illustrated in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p. 104, fig. 2.1.7., while another is in the Wallace Collection (P. Hughes, op.cit.).