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Lot Essay
These refined torchères or candle stands appear to bridge the gap between the Baroque and Rococo. The basic form closely relates to the outline of late 17th century prototypes, such as those in silver retained by Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset as a perquisite of office, following his tenure as Lord Chamberlain to William III, which survive at Knole House, Kent, or those in giltwood supplied by Jean Pelletier for the King's apartments at Hampton Court Palace in 1701 (RCIN 57029).
The basic form remained popular throughout the first two-thirds of the 18th century. The Ombersley torchères relate closely to a small group of known candle stands, including, perhaps most closely, to a pair sold from the collection of the Earls of Warwick, Warwick Castle, Christie's, London, 21 March 1968, maker unidentified. A further pair of very closely related design, but later date, was supplied to Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Lord Scarsdale, for Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, one of which is illustrated in, A. Coleridege, Chippendale Furniture, 1968, pl. 289. The Kedleston pair may have been supplied by William Linnell, who supplied furniture for both Kedleston and Lord Scarsdale's London house in Audley Square. Further related torchères survive from the collection of the Lords Egremont at Petworth, possibly supplied by James Whittle and Samuel Norman but again these are of slightly later date. A closely related pair, apparently of similar date, was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 11 October 2007, lot 60 ($103,000).
The basic form remained popular throughout the first two-thirds of the 18th century. The Ombersley torchères relate closely to a small group of known candle stands, including, perhaps most closely, to a pair sold from the collection of the Earls of Warwick, Warwick Castle, Christie's, London, 21 March 1968, maker unidentified. A further pair of very closely related design, but later date, was supplied to Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Lord Scarsdale, for Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, one of which is illustrated in, A. Coleridege, Chippendale Furniture, 1968, pl. 289. The Kedleston pair may have been supplied by William Linnell, who supplied furniture for both Kedleston and Lord Scarsdale's London house in Audley Square. Further related torchères survive from the collection of the Lords Egremont at Petworth, possibly supplied by James Whittle and Samuel Norman but again these are of slightly later date. A closely related pair, apparently of similar date, was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 11 October 2007, lot 60 ($103,000).