Description

A superb pair of early English desk candlesticks with square bases and lobed, gadroon decoration. The applied lion masks are extremely charming. The technique of making cast silver sticks was introduced into England circa 1685 and this is one of the early designs. Excellent quality and heavy gauge of silver.

Total weight 750g, 24.1 troy oz.
Height 15.5cm. Base 10.7cm.
London 1695.
Maker John Laughton.
Sterling silver.
17th century.

These sticks make a set of four with the #10432 candlesticks dated 1694, one year earlier.

Marks. Stamped underneath in the corners with a full set of English silver hallmarks. The maker’s mark “I.L crowned” is recorded as unidentified in Jackson’s “Silver and Gold Marks” Ian Pickford edition page 135. An identical pair of candlesticks were sold in Christie’s auction stamped with John Laughton’s Britannia mark “LA” registered in 1697 and it is highly probable that “I.L crowned” refers to the previous Sterling mark for John Laughton I”.

Literature. Few domestic antique silver candlesticks still exist before the reign of Charles II and 17th century examples are usually made from sheet silver and are light in weight.

Cast silver candlesticks were first made in London during the 1680’s, the same time as the influx of Huguenot refugees fleeing French persecution. The Huguenots brought with them the superior techniques of modelling and casting needed to supply the new types of silverware in the fashionable “French” style. During that period a large quantity of Huguenot silverwares was stamped with English maker’s marks as the newly arrived foreign silversmiths took whatever work was offered, often as outworkers at very low rates of pay. It’s also possible that a Huguenot workshop was operating in London during this period supplying candlestick parts such as bases, stem sections and sockets for English workshops to assemble. Because of this it can be difficult to know from the maker’s mark whether a piece of silver from this period was made by an English or Huguenot worker and one needs to also look at the style and technique.

Although many early candlesticks had fixed nozzles the first cast candlesticks were made without these useful drip pans. During the period c.1735-50 candlesticks with detachable nozzles appeared which facilitated much easier cleaning.