Antique Italian Silvered Bronze Candlesticks, Circa 1880 - a Pair

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This pair of ornate silvered bronze candlesticks is from Italy, circa 1880. Each candlestick has a large round candle platform … Read more This pair of ornate silvered bronze candlesticks is from Italy, circa 1880. Each candlestick has a large round candle platform with beading on the interior rim and spiral fluting on the outer edge. Each can hold candles up to 3 1/2 inches in diameter. The underside of the platform has a series of curled gadrooning, like the gadrooning on the capital below.

The tripartite (three-sided) candlesticks were silvered by a process called electroplating, which was invented in the early 1800s. This electrical process allowed designers and makers of decorative furnishings to create bright and elegant silvered objects without having to use solid silver as the base.

Bulbous columns have identical motifs on all three sides, which is a pair of volute curls surmounted by a pinnatipartite leaf. Beneath the column, there is an unadorned shaft with a spherical center above a concave stem. The tall base underneath is festooned with a gadrooned canopy that rests on top of volute scrolled sides. Between the scrolls is a diapered background with small hammering marks. The entire base sits on three feet constructed from scrolls.

These Italian silvered bronze candlesticks are far more durable than their antique wooden counterparts. They are a classic stand alone decorative accessory, but you can of course use them to burn candles or even re-purpose them into lamps. Use them on any table surface, mantel, or wall bracket. See less