A large pair of Louis XVI style gilt-bronze eight light figural candelabra in the manner of Etienne Maurice Falconet paris, circa 1870

raised on faux-marble decorated wooden pedestals.

See Hughes, P, The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Furniture, Vol III, University Press, Cambridge, 1996, p. 1215 for the black and white illustration of the circa 1770 variante.

overall in fair condition. This lot is well cast and chased and has kept its original gilding. However it is dirty and the branches are somewhat irregularly bent and with minor losses of flower buds. one candelabra with loos to central lily cast branch. to the same candelabra a pair of rose cast branch is unscrewed from the central stem as the former screw has snapped. the remaining of this broken screw is still in the treaded hole and will need to be professionaly taken out in order to re-attach to the stem. the second candelabra has one loss of bud to the cental lily cast branch. There is a large rectangular hole beneath the left hand side armpit of the female draped with a goat skin and looking down to her right.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present model derives from a pair of 18^th century bronze figures of maidens supporting a different arrangements of candle branches and illustrated: Ottomeyer, Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, pl XXVII.  A drawing by Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (Paris 1761) (illustrated, op. cit. p. 254) depicts a pair of maidens based upon the Falconet model which he exhibited at the Grand Salon du Louvre in 1761. Exhibited in plaster, they were intended to be cast in silver "Deux grouppes de femmes en platre. Ce sont des Chandeliers pour être exécutés en argent". Another identical pair of figures, executed in ormolu, forming candelabra is in Warsaw (illustrated, op. cit., fig. 4.7.3.).