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Lot Essay
The Bacchic priestess caryatids, bearing ewers and krater urns, are designed in the late 18th Century Grecian manner. Such candlesticks, imported by London-based marchands-merciers provided appropriate 'antique' garnitures for marble chimney pieces, designed by the architect Henry Holland (d.1806). Candlesticks of this pattern were acquired by Samuel Whitbread II (d.1815) and are likely to have featured amongst the considerable expenditure on furniture and furnishings laid out around 1800 on the completion of Mrs Whitbread's apartments, which were completed with paintings by Louis Andre Delabrière. Mrs Whitbread's boudoir was noted in 1800 by the Reverend Samuel Johnes as looking like a small temple where has been deposited all the rich offerings of every country.
Two pairs of the candlesticks were exhibited in Mrs Whitbread's Room, at Brighton Pavilion's Regency Exhibition in 1951 (see C. Musgrave, Regency Furniture, London, 1961, fig. 6). One of the latter pairs was sold from the Humphrey Whitbread Collection, in these Rooms, 5 April 2001, lot 373 (£18,000).
Two pairs of the candlesticks were exhibited in Mrs Whitbread's Room, at Brighton Pavilion's Regency Exhibition in 1951 (see C. Musgrave, Regency Furniture, London, 1961, fig. 6). One of the latter pairs was sold from the Humphrey Whitbread Collection, in these Rooms, 5 April 2001, lot 373 (£18,000).