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Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.

The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.

The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris & Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.

Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.

The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.

Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

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Style: Aesthetic Movement
Pair of 19th Century Galle Faience Lion Candleholder with Silver Candelabra
Pair of 19th Century Galle Faience Lion Candleholder with Silver Candelabra

Pair of 19th Century Galle Faience Lion Candleholder with Silver Candelabra

By Émile Gallé

Located in Essex, MA

Pair of signed Emile Galle (French, 1846-1904) rampant lion faience candleholders Heraldic lion holding a castle tower in rampart also holding silvered bronze candelabra Signed...

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Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Bronze

Ansonia Pair of Silver 5-Light Candelabra from Aesthetic Movement 19th Century
Ansonia Pair of Silver 5-Light Candelabra from Aesthetic Movement 19th Century

Ansonia Pair of Silver 5-Light Candelabra from Aesthetic Movement 19th Century

By Ansonia Clock Company

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Ansonia silver-plated 5-light candelabra in a style reminiscent of the Aesthetic Movement and from the 19th century. They measure 20'' in height by 11 1/2'' from arm to arm and appear to be unmarked. The Ansonia Clock Company was a clock manufacturing business founded in Ansonia, Connecticut, in 1851, as a subsidiary of the Ansonia Brass Company by Phelps and two Bristol, Connecticut, clockmakers, Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews. Terry & Andrews were the largest clock manufacturers in Bristol, with more than 50 employees using 58 tons of brass in the production of about 25,000 clocks in 1849. The company has produced hundreds of different clock models, including Gingerbread, Porcelain, and Crystal Regulator styles. Ansonia clocks were exhibited at the U.S. Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. In 1877 the clock company purchased a factory in New York and moved most of its production there after being spun off from the brass company. Henry J. Davies of Brooklyn, himself a clockmaker, inventor and case designer, joined the newly reconstituted company as one of its founders. As President, he is thought to have been largely responsible for the figurine clocks, swing clocks...

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19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Silver, Silver Plate

19th Century Bronze pair of candlesticks with bears of Christophe Fratin
19th Century Bronze pair of candlesticks with bears of Christophe Fratin

19th Century Bronze pair of candlesticks with bears of Christophe Fratin

By Christophe Fratin

Located in Paris, FR

Here is a stunning pair of finely chiseled, bronze candlesticks from the mid-19th century. These bronze candelabras, with a body resembling a tree trunk adorned with oak leaves and a...

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Mid-19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Bronze

Aesthetic Period Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum by Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880
Aesthetic Period Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum by Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880

Aesthetic Period Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum by Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880

By Hukin & Heath

Located in London, London

Made circa 1880 by Hukin & Heath, this stylish, Victorian, antique silver plated candelabrum, is a fine example of the Aesthetic Movement, featuring a textured base, and will hold 6 ...

Category

1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

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Aesthetic Period, Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum, Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880
Aesthetic Period, Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum, Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880

Aesthetic Period, Antique Silver Plate Candelabrum, Hukin & Heath, Circa 1880

By Hukin & Heath

Located in London, London

Made circa 1880 by Hukin & Heath, this stylish, Victorian, antique silver plated candelabrum, is a fine example of the Aesthetic Movement, featuring a plain base, and will hold 6 can...

Category

1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Silver Plate

An Elegant Pair of Antique French, Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figure Candelabra
An Elegant Pair of Antique French, Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figure Candelabra

An Elegant Pair of Antique French, Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figure Candelabra

Located in Lambertville, NJ

An elegant pair of antique French, guilt and patinated bronze figure candelabra from the 1870s the pair with two different patinated bronze bust centers with the rest in its brillian...

Category

1870s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair Late 19th Century French Tole Painted Bronze Urn & Flower Form Candelabra
Pair Late 19th Century French Tole Painted Bronze Urn & Flower Form Candelabra

Pair Late 19th Century French Tole Painted Bronze Urn & Flower Form Candelabra

Located in Hudson, NY

This pair of candelabra made in the form of urns holding floral arrangements are French and were cast in bronze in the 1870s. It’s possible that at one time they were gilded but they...

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Candelabras

Materials

Bronze

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By A. Clement

Located in Paris, FR

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Aesthetic Movement candelabras for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement candelabras for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage candelabras created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, silver and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement candelabras made in a specific country, there are Europe, England, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original candelabras, popular names associated with this style include Hukin & Heath, and Emile Gallé. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for candelabras differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $145 and tops out at $9,800 while the average work can sell for $1,208.