Mr. Punch in the Arts: The Enamel Punch Candlestick, 1755-60

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delightful candlestick features a figure of Mr. Punch rendered in soft-paste porcelain which has been gilded and painted with enamels. Punch dances--his right foot raised as holds aloft a lantern in his right hand.

He is cheerfully dressed in a striped and floral-patterned jacket, flowered trousers, yellow shoes and a hat. The socket for the candle is formed from a swirl of leaves atop a stump with yellow and crimson applied flowers and details picked out in green.

Made between 1755 and 1760 by the Derby Porcelain factory (manufacturer), the modeling is the work of William Duesbury & Co.

Figure of the Day: Charlie Keith, 19th C.

Bronze Candlestick
Presented to Charlie Keith
London, Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

You may remember Charlie Keith (1835-1895) from our previous look at one of his costumes. This London clown was billed as “the Favourite Clown, Tumbler, Chair and Original Performer,” following in the footsteps of Joseph Grimaldi and his son. In fact, Keith based his white-faced look on Grimaldi’s, even adapting Grimadli’s wig-style, the “three bobble coiffure.” He was so successful that by 1868, he’d opened his own traveling circus. This figural bronze candlestick was presented to Keith in the late Nineteenth Century. The clown figure is likely based on Keith himself. The modeler is unknown.

The bronze is thought to have been given to Keith before his death in 1896. He died in Bury and was buried in Southport. I wonder why he wasn't buried in Bury.  That would have suited him better.

The Home Beautiful: The Thomas Johnson Candlestand, 1756-60

Candlestand
Thomas Johnson, c. 1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

From the V&A, we see one of a set of four stands, most decidedly in the fanciful, organic, Rococo style, which were made to hold candelabra. They are perfect examples of Britain’s brand of the Rococo which flourished in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

An exact attribution is impossible, however, this stand is obviously similar to a published design by the carver Thomas Johnson. Nevertheless, the work features popular themes of the time, especially a motif of dolphins.

If this is the work of Thomas Johnson, he might have based his design on an engraving of a candlestand by François Cuvilliés (1695-1768), a Flanders-born designer who famously worked for the Bavarian Court in Munich. The celebrated Thomas Chippendale later used a similar design in the third edition of his book The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director of 1762.

George, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709-1793) bought these candlestands for Hagley Hall, Worcestershire, his country house which was built between 1754 and 1760. The set of four stood on flanking pier tables in the gallery of the monumental home, along a dramatic passage with windows overlooking the park. The stands were crafted of carved pine and painted to match the frames in the room—in a rich mahogany brown with a contrasting grey-white. The branches are cast of iron, with candlestick fittings of gilt brass.

Mr. Punch in the Arts: The Enamel Punch Candlestick, 1755-60

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delightful candlestick features a figure of Mr. Punch rendered in soft-paste porcelain which has been gilded and painted with enamels. Punch dances--his right foot raised as holds aloft a lantern in his right hand.

He is cheerfully dressed in a striped and floral-patterned jacket, flowered trousers, yellow shoes and a hat. The socket for the candle is formed from a swirl of leaves atop a stump with yellow and crimson applied flowers and details picked out in green.

Made between 1755 and 1760 by the Derby Porcelain factory (manufacturer), the modeling is the work of William Duesbury & Co.

Figure of the Day: Charlie Keith, 19th C.

Bronze Candlestick
Presented to Charlie Keith
London, Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

You may remember Charlie Keith’s (1835-1895) from our September look at one of his costumes. This London clown was billed as “the Favourite Clown, Tumbler, Chair and Original Performer,” following in the footsteps of Joseph Grimaldi and his son. In fact, Keith based his white-faced look on Grimaldi’s, even adapting Grimadli’s wig-style, the “three bobble coiffure.” He was so successful that by 1868, he’d opened his own traveling circus. This figural bronze candlestick was presented to Keith in the late Nineteenth Century. The clown figure is likely based on Keith himself. The modeler is unknown.

The bronze is thought to have been given to Keith before his death in 1896. He died in Bury and was buried in Southport. I wonder why he wasn't buried in Bury.  That would have suited him better.

The Home Beautiful: A Pair of Sèvres Candelabra, 1765-1770

Candelabra of porcelain vases
1765-1770
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
This and all related images courtesy of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made between 1765 and 1770, these vases are crafted of soft-paste porcelain and painted a deep blue enamel ground. The work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, they've had gilt bronze mounts added to make them function as candelabra and, also, to give the appearance that these were older pieces retrofitted for another use.

The pair was acquired by King George IV and they were recorded in the Royal Collection in 1826 as being in the Small Store Room under the Clock. They are described as "A pair of Blue seve Porcelain Jars and Covers mounted in Ormolu, scroll Branches for two lights, festooned, Octagonal Bases. 12 ½ Inches high."

With their ormolu fittings, the pair is a superb early example of the new trend toward Chinese style objects which defined mid-eighteenth century decorative arts. Sèvres and other makers would often try to pass off their wares as genuine Chinese artifacts.

The curator of the Royal Collection tells us:

So successful were the potters at Sèvres at producing such counterfeit pieces that, in 1829, the then Director of the manufactory, Alexandre Brongniart, bought a pair in the mistaken belief that he was acquiring Chinese vases!

The Home Beautiful: The Thomas Johnson Candlestand, 1756-60

Candlestand
Thomas Johnson, c. 1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

From the V&A, we see one of a set of four stands, most decidedly in the fanciful, organic, Rococo style, which were made to hold candelabra.  They are perfect examples of Britain’s brand of the Rococo which flourished in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

An exact attribution is impossible, however, this stand  is obviously similar to a published design by the carver Thomas Johnson. Nevertheless, the work features popular themes of the time, especially a motif of dolphins. 

If this is the work of Thomas Johnson, he might have based his design on an engraving of a candlestand by François Cuvilliés (1695-1768), a Flanders-born designer who famously worked for the Bavarian Court in Munich. The celebrated Thomas Chippendale later used a similar design in the third edition of his book The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director of 1762.

George, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709-1793) bought these candlestands for Hagley Hall, Worcestershire, his country house which was built between 1754 and 1760. The set of four stood on flanking pier tables in the gallery of the monumental home, along a dramatic passage with windows overlooking the park. The stands were crafted of carved pine and painted to match the frames in the room—in a rich mahogany brown with a contrasting grey-white. The branches are cast of iron, with candlestick fittings of gilt brass.

The Home Beautiful: The Neptune Candelabrum, 1818-1819

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Known for its triumphant depiction of the god Neptune, this magnificent candelabrum is adorned with a figure of the Roman god of the sea, depicted kneeling on a sea horse or hippocamp, on a rocky base cast and chased with shells and a host of other sea creatures. Neptune, as usual, bears a trident in his left hand and supports, with his right, a shell from which a hydra (that wacky mythical many-headed snake) springs out to form the branches which hold the candles.


Made between 1818-1819, this was just one part of a massive table garniture ordered by the Duke of York. In 1827, when the Duke of York’s silver was auctioned, the catalog listed the candelabrum as attributed to the antiquarian and silver retailer Kensington Lewis, whose trade card described him as “Silversmith and Jeweller to his R. H. the Duke of York.”


And, certainly, The Duke of York was Lewis’ most important patron.  Lewis’  business suffered enormously after the Duke’s death.

Object of the Day: An Antique Figural Brass Candelabra

This cheerful cherub holds two candles aloft, and has done so since the 1870’s. French in origin, he is cast in brass and retains much of his original gleam. Such candleholders were produced for import to other parts of Europe. This one ended up in England where it was purchased amongst a crate of antiques and brought to Texas.


Brass items such as this one were meant to simulate the look of costly bronze and ormolu pieces and were welcomed into the homes of working class families who had the taste, but not the financial means to outfit their abodes with the same materials that were used by the nobility. And, so, almost a century and a half later, he’s still supporting two candles, happily perched upon a papier mache torchere. This time around, he’ll be free from the dripping of hot wax. Those candles have been in there for almost ten years, and I can’t see any reason to light them.

Her Majesty’s Furniture: The Highlander Candelabra, 1854

The Highlander Candelabra
Designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, 1854
Commissioned by Queen Victoria
Balmoral
The Royal Collection

The royal estate at Balmoral in Scotland has long been a favored retreat for the Royal Family. Queen Victoria was especially fond of the spot. To accommodate their growing family, Prince Albert orchestrated an elaborate renovation and addition to the existing house.

As part of that remodeling, new furnishings were commissioned. The queen wished the estate to be decorated in an appropriately Scottish theme. We can see a Scottish influence in almost every detail. Take these exquisite candelabra, for example. Herbert Minton and Company created these magnificent parian figures which stand atop bases of gilt and bronze-plated silver. The figures hold the candelabra which are adorned with large, ornate stags’ heads.

A multinational effort, the candelabra were designed by Sir Edwin Landseer. The figures were sculpted by John Bell and the stags’ heads were created by French sculptor A. E. Carrier-Belleuse.

Her Majesty’s Furniture: A Set of Malachite Candelabra

The famed Parisian design firm of Thomire & Cie created these magnificent candelabra of gilt bronze and blazingly green malachite in 1828. The candelabra presently have eight arms, but originally had sixteen. Why or when they were altered is something of a mystery. The candelabra are part of a garniture set which flank a matching clock.

As the story goes, the set was purchased for £500 by King George IV’s Confectioner, Francois Benois. Later, a gift of the set was made to the sovereign. Today, the set is one of the treasure of The Royal Collection.