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A Pair of Bronze Anti-Semitic Candlesticks, Vienna circa 1880

$2,200
$2,75020% Off
£1,646.67
£2,058.3320% Off
€1,902.74
€2,378.4320% Off
CA$3,050.67
CA$3,813.3320% Off
A$3,417.14
A$4,271.4220% Off
CHF 1,776.53
CHF 2,220.6720% Off
MX$42,194.78
MX$52,743.4820% Off
NOK 22,631.62
NOK 28,289.5320% Off
SEK 21,394.68
SEK 26,743.3520% Off
DKK 14,199.31
DKK 17,749.1420% Off
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About the Item

A Pair of Bronze Anti-Semitic Candlesticks made in Vienna, Austria around 1880. Both speculators have a happy face with the term “hausse” inscribed on the base. Cast brass, columnar candlestick in the form of a man with a large head and tapered body. He has a light peach/brown face, curly brown graying hair and close trimmed beard, a large, hooked nose and protruding ears, and an open, smiling mouth. He wears a tailcoat, pinstriped pants, and black shoes. The flat-brimmed, black hat has a deep well for the candle. The right arm is pressed to the chest, holding the opening of his collared vest. The left is behind his back, holding the coat vent. He stands, feet together, on a metal ball which is fastened by a nut, washer, and bolt screwed into a square pedestal base with angled sides and bevel bottom edge. A French word: hausse! [Raise!] is etched on the lower step. These candle sticks were made in pairs one with a happy face and "HAUSSE" inscribed on the base and the other with "BAISSE" on its base. Both words are stock market terminology derived from the French words for “rise” and “drop.” The terms refer to the comparative price of assets at the times of buying and selling. The placement of the “baisse” on the sad-faced candleholder and the “hausse” on the happy one implies that Jews prefer to buy assets at lower prices and then sell them at a higher price, profiting from the price fluctuation. This references the antisemitic stereotypes of the greedy Jew who exploits Gentiles for their own economic advantage, and Jewish control of finance. These stereotypes originated from the economic and professional restrictions placed on early European Jews. They were barred from owning land, farming, joining trade guilds, and military service. These restrictions limited Jews to the occupations of retail peddling, hawking, and moneylending. Additionally, medieval religious belief held that charging interest (known as usury) was sinful, and the Jews who occupied these professions were looked down upon, predominantly by European Christians. They were perceived as morally deficient and willing to engage in unethical business practices. The inability of Jews to legally hold other occupations, combined with Christians’ disdain for the professions Jews were allowed to practice, helped form the canard of the greedy Jew who exploited Gentiles, and created negative connotations for Jews who worked in finance. Literature taken from the United states holocaust Museum
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 6.03 in (15.3 cm)Width: 2.17 in (5.5 cm)Depth: 2.17 in (5.5 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Bronze,Cast
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1880's
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU5281239755322

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