Live Auction 12184Important Silver and Objects of Vertu
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI SILVER FOUR-LIGHT CANDELABRA
Lot 141

A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI SILVER FOUR-LIGHT CANDELABRA

MARK OF ANTOINE BOULLIER, PARIS, 1786, WITH SOME ALTERATIONS

Closed21 April 2016

Price Realised

USD 43,750

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A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI SILVER FOUR-LIGHT CANDELABRA
MARK OF ANTOINE BOULLIER, PARIS, 1786, WITH SOME ALTERATIONS
Each on circular base, the fluted tapered stem tied with garlands, supporting three acanthus-clad branch arms with detachable wax pans, sockets and a central foliate socket, engraved at base A. Boullier fecit a Paris, marked on base rims, two sockets and underneath with no. 1 and no. 3, fully marked on bases, stems (inside socket), sockets, wax-pans, and central waterleaf calyx; décharge only on central leafy socket and one of six small calices; the branches, the central element with berried foliage, and the five small calices unmarked; with charge and export décharge of Henri Clavel, also with Swedish hallmark
21 ¼ in. (54 cm.) high; 205 oz. (6,383 gr.)

Specialist note

Antoine Boullier was one of the leading silversmiths of his time.  Like François-Thomas Germain, Jacques-Nicolas Roettiers, Louis Lenhendrick, and Robert-Joseph Auguste, he was held in great esteem by his contemporaries.  He was chosen to execute part of a large dinner service commissioned by Catherine the Great, and a tureen from this service is now at the Hermitage.  Along with Robert-Joseph Auguste, he executed the famous dinner service for Count Creutz of Sweden, now part of the Swedish Royal Collection.

The Swedish import marks on these candelabra, combined with their Paris discharge mark for exported wares, would indicate that these candelabra too were a commission from a Swedish noble patron. 

Boullier made a pair of candelabra of the present model as part of an extensive toilet service made for  The Galitzin-Stroganov family, sold Christie's, London, 7 June 2011, lot 206