Impressive Pair of English Silver Candelabra by Crown Jewelers Carrington
By Carrington & Co
Located in New York, NY
A pair of George II style silver four light candelabra, Crown Jewelers Carrington Co., London 1974
Sterling Silver
If dishing up exquisite silverware was Carrington & Co.’s bread and butter, trophy cups and royal jewels were the main course. Among the illustrious names that commissioned brooches, tableware, cufflinks and more across its rich history were Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Edward VII, George V and the Russian Tsars.
Founded in 1873 by John Bodman Carrington, Carrington & Co. came out of a manufacturing business tied to G.R. Collis & Co. It began producing silver plates for restaurants, hotels and ships in 1880, and after nearly 10 years, Carrington & Co. expanded into dealing precious stones and jewelry. Partners William Carrington Smith and George Bruford later joined Carrington, who retired in 1906.
Its silverware matched popular eras of taste, including the ornate and well-decorated Late Victorian style and the light eclecticism that defined Edwardian style. Its trophies, which included the 1921 Prince of Wales Cup, reflected the company’s talent in serveware and further developed its design reach. In the 1920s, Carrington added another royal favorite — natural pearls — to its repertoire with gentlemen’s watches and ladies’ wristlet watches.
Of its numerous royal commissions, the Dorset Bow Royal brooch, Cullinan III brooch and Cullinan IV brooch have achieved the most prestige. The Dorset Bow’s design was said to be drawn from an 1855 piece made for Empress Eugénie. Queen Mary wore the brooch on several occasions before giving it to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding gift.
The Cullinan III and IV brooches were cut from the Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found. Queen Mary commissioned them in 1911 as a pair, which were originally set into the band of her crown. They are considered to be the most valuable brooches in the world.
The Carrington & Co. firm was acquired by Collingwood in 1922.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Carrington & Co. decorative objects, serveware and more furniture and collectibles.
Antique and vintage silver candleholders and candelabra serve as decorative pieces and elegant sources of illumination in any dining room.
A candleholder can come as an individual piece or in a set. These objects vary in size and shape depending on the candles they are designed to hold as well as the era in which they were made. A candelabra is a more ornate and larger version of a candleholder.
Candleholder sets and candelabra can essentially serve as tabletop chandeliers. Adding these objects to your dining table can help establish an atmosphere and an air of elegance any time you gather with close friends or family.
Some of the earliest candleholders were made of clay, but by the 17th century, they were mostly made of silver. English silver made between 1660, when Charles II was restored to the throne — which evidently led to an upsurge in demand for items produced with the material domestically — and 1840, shortly after Queen Victoria came to power, is particularly popular with collectors. From this rich, 180-year period we saw examples of two-handled cups with squat bodies embossed and chased with foliage and animals, toilet services, beer tankards with flat-domed lids, wine cups on simple baluster stems, columnar candlesticks and more.
Later brass, copper and other warm metals gave candelabra a warm glow. Candleholders and candelabra have also been made from glass, crystal, ceramic and iron.
Candleholders and candelabra come in a variety of styles. As candelabra have various arms extending from the main stem, these components can range from two to six depending on size, period and style.
From antique examples to contemporary designs, browse a range of antique and vintage silver candleholders and candelabra variations on 1stDibs.