A Magnificent Private Collection of French 18th Century Candlesticks
The 18th century was the great age of candlelight, and the salons of the nobility and gentry were lit by many hundreds of candles from chandeliers, candelabra, and wall sconces. Silver and glass were used in the homes of the wealthy, while brass chandeliers of domestic manufacture were hung in churches and council chambers.
In the era before gas lighting and electricity, candles played a principal role in illuminating the domestic interior. The number of candles lit was an indication of the wealth and status of the owner: beeswax candles burned clean and had a pleasant smell but were quite expensive compared to those made of tallow.
In late seventeenth-century France, a change in dining habits had a significant effect on the production of silver candlesticks. Entertainment was increasingly orientated towards the evening and as a result, elegant lighting became an important part of the interior decoration.
Four French Louis XV Candlesticks
Paris, 1740, maker’s mark of Alexis Loir.
These candlesticks with their round shaped bases with beaded pearl decoration rise to a reeded band. The wells decorated with flutes and rising in a trumpet shape to the stem with a matching reeded knop. The hexagonal stems with four friezes of bluebells. The column stems terminating in a stepped octagonal knop with shell décor the capitals with a plain band an ovolo border
Loir was of the distinguished family of Parisian goldsmiths. The son of Alexis and Catherine Mouchet, Loir completed his apprenticeship on the 7th of December 1733 and became a master goldsmith. He had apprenticed under Jean Charbrolle, and his hallmark was registered at the parish of St. Jaques la Boucherie. He died on 16th of December 1775.
Le PoinconDe Paris: Repetoir Des Maitres Orfevres De La Juridiction De Paris Depuis Le Moyen Age Jusqu’a La Fin Du XVIII Siecle. Henry Nocq, Paris: H. Floury Editeur. P.157
Height: 24 cm, 9.4 in
Weight: 1,600 g, 51 oz 8 dwt
On circular cast bases chased with a band of ovolo and above with reeded bands applied with foliate escutcheons, with similar bell-shaped centres, the tapering baluster stems with alternate plain and laurel husk panels on matted ground, with shells and further foliate scrolls to the shoulders and moulded sockets.
A Pair of French Louis XV Candlesticks
Paris, 1742 - 45 Maker’s mark of Alex Loir - 109
Height: 25 cm, 9.8 in
Weight: 1,576 g, 50 oz 13 dwt
The candlesticks with a round shaped base with beaded pearl decoration rising to a reeded band. The wells decorated with flutes and rising in a trumpet shape to the stem with a matching reeded knop and column shaped stems with cast and applied quilt shell décor. The capitals with cast floral and chased quatrefoil decoration.
A Pair of French Louis XV Candlesticks
Paris, 1747 Maker’s mark of Alex Loir - 110
Height: 27 cm, 10.6 in
Weight: 1,578 g, 50 oz 14 dwt
The candlesticks on shaped round stepped bases with reed and reed and leaf detailing. The reeded columns with a quilted shell design terminating in strong shells and turned pilasters.
A Pair of Silver Candlesticks
Paris, 1752-1753 Maker’s Mark of Alexis Loir – 111
Height: 25.3 cm, 10 in
Weight: 1.437 g, 46.2 oz
Each resting on shaped bases with ovolo borders. The wells decorated with reeded border with foliate medallions, the stem chased with spiralling gadroon and decorated with four panels of bluebell flowers on a stippled background. The capitals with conforming decoration. The undersides with scratch weights 3m 20 & 3m 6 g.
A Pair of French Louis XV Candlesticks Paris, 1737. Maker’s mark of Corneille-Georges Colson - 22
Height: 24 cm, 9.4 in
Weight: 1,136 g, 36 oz 10 dwt
The candlesticks resting on shaped round bases elegantly simple in their design with reeded bands and a circular and octagonal knop in their stems.
Corneille-George Colson
On the 18th of February 1712, Colson became a master goldsmith, having his hallmark registered. His hallmark was registered as a crowned fleur-de-lys, with two grains and his initials below a shell. In 1715, he is registered as living on St Michel Bridge.
A Pair French Louis XV Candlesticks
Paris 1749 Maker’s mark of Eloi Guérin - 23
Height: 27 cm, 10.6 in
Weight: 1,542 g, 49 oz 11 dwt
The candlesticks resting on shaped round stepped base. The candlestick rising from the well in a bell shape rising to a triangular knop in the stem. The triangular shaped columns with shell and tongue decoration supporting the plain capitals with turned reeding.
The wells engraved with the coat-of-arms of a Count
A Pair of French Louis XV Candlesticks
Height: 26 cm, 10.2 in
Weight: 1,284 g, 41 oz 5 dwt
These candlesticks are on a shaped round base with an ovolo border. The stepped base rising to a matching ovolo band and the wells rising to the stems in a trumpet shape decorated with swirling flutes The triangular shaped stems with a shell and tongue décor the capital with matching ovolo borders and a plain band.
Eloi Guerin
Eloi Guerin apprenticed under Francois Cruchet in 1791, at the age of 15.
On the 20th of May 1727, he registered his hallmark as a crowned fleur-de-lys, with two grains and a sun.
On the 10th of December 1738, a deputy visited his shop on Quai Pelletier and subsequently, the court ordered him to demolish his forge as it did not comply with the regulations due to being below ground. However, on the 23rd of December of that same year, he wrote a brief to explain that the raising of the Pelletier wharf had put his workshop underground, hence why it did not adhere to regulations. He argued that the workshop was well hidden, and that the previous tenant had not received any reprimands. Through the eloquence of his various arguments, such as the impracticality of moving the forge, he was able to convince the court to allow him to continue his work until the end of his lease.
On the 23rd of November 1743, whilst living in the Rue de la Monnaie, he took on Vincent Breant as his apprentice.
Eloi Guérin produced a large quantity of work in his lifetime. His hallmark is one of those most frequently encountered in collections, and it is found on most commonly on candlesticks or flatware services.
A Pair of French Table Candlesticks
Paris, 1756 Maker’s mark of Joseph Charvet. - 26
Height: 26.8 cm, 10.6 cm
Weight: 1,300 g, 41 oz 16dwt
The shaped circular bases cast and chased with ovolo borders rising to spirally fluted domes. The triangular stems with shell and tongue strapwork. The capitals with matching ovolo decoration together with a plain band.
Joseph Charvet
Born in Hotone, Charvet became a master in 1751 on the 5th of November, serving as the Duke d’Orleans’ goldsmith. Guaranteed by the master goldsmith Thomas Etienne Collart of the Pelletier wharf, he registered his hallmark as a crowned fleur-de-lys, with two grains and a label above his initials.
A Set of Four French Silver Table Candlesticks Paris, 1756- 1759
Maker’s mark of Joseph Duguay. - 27
Height: 27 cm, 10.6 in
Weight: 2,920 g, 93 oz 17 dwt
Joseph-Pierre-Jacques Duguay's parents were Marie-Catherine Mollet and Jacques Duguay, himself a silversmith. He was baptised on the 18th May, 1724.
Dugay became a master on 29 May 1756. His work is best known for soup tureens, one of which, dated 1771, is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and for supplies to the service for Count Branicki.
Metropolitan Museum Collection
Tureen with cover Joseph-Pierre-Jacques Duguay Paris, 1771–72
Living in rue de l'Arbe sec, Duguay received his formal recognition as a master goldsmith in Paris guaranteed by Gabriel-Joseph Moillet on the 19th May, 1756. His hallmark was registered as a crowned fleur-de-lys, J D, one shell and two grains. His name is listed in the Almanac of Indicated Names in 1774.
Records indicate that he remained in rue de l’Arbe until 1793.
Height: 27 cm, 10.6 in
Weight: 1,46 g, 56 oz 2 dwt
The candlesticks with a round shaped base with beaded pearl decoration rising to a reeded band. The wells decorated with flutes and bluebells rising to the stem formed as fluted columns with shells and leaf details below the capitals which are in turn decorated with ovolo and swirling flutes. The capitals having a reeded band and terminating in an ovolo band at the socket.
Guillaume Ledoux
The son of a master goldsmith, Ledoux had his hallmark registered on the 5th of September 1705. His hallmark consisted of a crowned fleur-delys, with two grains and his initials below a bunch of grapes. On the 1st of June 1735, he took Jean-Raoul Morel as his apprentice.
He died in 1751, with his funeral taking place on the 28th of March.
A Pair of French Louis XV Candlesticks
Paris, 1735 Maker’s mark of Guillaume Ledoux – 102
Height: 24.5 cm, 9.6 in
Weight: 1,72 g, 47 oz 6 dwt
The candlesticks with a round shaped base with beaded pearl decoration rising to a reeded band. The wells decorated with flutes and bluebells rising to the stem formed as fluted columns with shells and leaf details below the capitals which are in turn decorated with ovolo and swirling flutes. The capitals having a reeded band and terminating in an ovolo band at the socket.
Paris, 1765. Maker’s mark of Jean-Francois Balzac- 107
Height: 28 cm,
Weight: 1,716 g, 55 oz 3 dwt
The shaped stepped reeded bases with leaf decoration. The bottoms of the wells with a band of the same design. The baluster stems decorated with quilted scale panels and fluted columns. Both the sconces and wells engraved with the family coat-of-arms and count coronet.
The arms are those of the Griselaine de Carbonnel family of Ile-de-France and Normandy.
La Charbonnerie, in the hamlet of Langlois, in Sortosville en Beaumont is the home of the Carbonnels, a family that settled in these places in the distant times. It was, in the 18th century, the home of the Griselaines, lords of Carbonnel.
The lords of Carbonnel are descended from Thomas Griselaine, lord of Carbonnel, born around 1636 in Gouey, who married in 1655, Guillemette Le Cannelier.
In 1679-1685, during the search for nobility of the Election of Valognes, Jean and Jacques Griselaine lived in Vrétôt. In 1747, Marie-Madeleine Cuquemelle, widow of Nicolas de Griselaine, squire, Lord of Carbonnel, and her son René Guillaume de Griselaine, lived in Sortosville in Beaumont.
René Guillaume de Griselaine, squire, Lord of Carbonnel, was a counsellor to the king, lieutenant general in the viscountcy of St Sauveur le Vicomte and assessor in the bailiwick of the same place. He married Aimée Rose Blanche d’Auxais du Breuil, lady and patron saint of Sortosville in Beaumont.
Jean-Francois Balzac
In 1747, at the age of 36, whilst living on the Pont au Change, Balzac entered as an apprentice under François Marteau, goldsmith to the King at the Louvre galleries. By 1749, he was recognised as a goldsmith by the court. He took the oath, guaranteed by his brother Edmund Pierre, whom he succeeded.
On the 29th January, 1749, he registered his hallmark as a crowned fleur-de-lys with his initials J F B and a rosette with two grains. This was altered in 1755 with a shell replacing the rosette.
A Pair of French Candlesticks
Paris, 1756-1757 Jean-François Balzac - 108
Height: 26 cm, 10.2 in
Weight: 1,192 g, 38 oz 6 dwt
The candlesticks circular with scalloped base with two ovoid mouldings, the baluster-shaped shaft with panels of bluebell flowers. The centre chased with twisted flutes, the top of the stem applied with four shells, the capitals engraved with a monogram.
A Pair of Silver Candlesticks
Paris, 1777-1778 Maker’s Mark of Nicolas Cornu – 112
Height: 28.3 cm, 11.14 in.
Weight: 1.678 g, 53.95 oz
Each, candlestick with a round base with a ribbon and reed border resting on three acanthus capped panel feet. The fluted bases ring to a turned knop supporting fluted columns clad with garlands of laurel. The top of the stems with an ovolo frieze supporting the fluted capitals also decorated with conforming garlands.
Cornu apprenticed under Simon Leveque in 1762 and became a master goldsmith in 1770.
Height: 26.5 cm, 10.4 in
Weight: 1,190 g, 38 oz 5 dwt
The candlesticks on shaped round stepped bases with ovolo beaded borders. The reeded columns with ovolo decorated knop, the capitals also with the same design.
Etienne Moreau
In 1747, Moreau was made a master goldsmith in Paris, received from the King's declaration of the 2nd of September. On the 15th of January 1753, he registered his hallmark as a crowned fleur-de-lys with two grains and his initials alongside a ciborium.
In 1777, Moreau restored a superb solid silver floor lamp originally made by Germain for the Church of St. Geneviève in Paris.
