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Directoire Candlesticks

DIRECTOIRE STYLE

Formed in the wake of the Jacobin Reign of Terror’s bloody guillotine, the Directoire was established to lead France into order through the leadership of a five-member council of directors. It was brief, lasting only from 1795 to 1799, ending with Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, and was economically tumultuous. Yet it was an essential bridge between the era of Louis XVI and the elaborate Empire style that followed, with Directoire furniture and decorative arts shaped by a royal passion for classical design and an enthusiasm for postrevolutionary France.

Much of the country’s furniture production had halted during the French Revolution when the furniture guilds system was abolished, but during the Directoire period, the cabinetmakers restarted their businesses, such as François-Honoré-Georges and Jacob-Desmalter who established a new workshop called Jacob-Frères. Pieces made in walnut, elm, mahogany and other inexpensive materials incorporated influences ranging from Egypt to Pompeii, with popular forms including the curule armchair based on an ancient Roman design. The aesthetics of the transitional style were more austere than during the monarchy, with court cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Sené, for instance, reimagining his workshop’s neoclassical-style furniture with ungilded surfaces and a reduction of ornamentation.

Symbols referencing the revolutionary tenets of liberty, equality and fraternity were frequently carved into Directoire furnishings, such as the Phrygian cap, clasped hands and the fasces, which is an image of a bound bundle of sticks adopted from the Roman Republic, where it was seen as an emblem of strength through unity.

Elements of the French Directoire style continued through Empire style. Designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine are credited today as major proponents of both movements. The classically inspired furniture design is represented in pieces such as the boat-shaped daybed and the klismos chair, which endured in French interiors as well as in styles abroad, including American Directoire.

Find a collection of antique ​​Directoire chairs, tables, daybeds, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Directoire
Mid 19th Century Candlestick - Swans - Ormolu Gilt Bronze
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Refined French ormolu bronze candlestick, mid 19th century, finely detailed and beautifully cast. The base is formed by three sculpted swans, their long necks rising gracefully to su...
Category

1860s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of Sophisticated Gilt Bronze Candlesticks, Directoire circa 1795
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of sophisticated and elegant gilt bronze Candlesticks, Probably made in Paris, France. Directoire circa 1795. Beautifully decorated with leaves. Wear consistent with age an...
Category

1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Gold Plate, Bronze

A Pair of Elegant Silver Candlesticks – Directoire, Late 18th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
A Pair of Elegant Silver Candlesticks – Directoire, Late 18th Century A pair of classic and characteristic candlesticks in hallmarked silver from Central Europe, dating from the la...
Category

1790s European Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Silver

Pair Of Silver Candlesticks – Antwerp, 1792 – Late Louis XVI / Directoire Style
Located in Bilzen, BE
Pair of Silver Candlesticks – Antwerp, 1792 – Late Louis XVI / Directoire Style Elegant pair of antique solid silver candlesticks, hallmarked in Antwerp, 1792, during the early years...
Category

Late 18th Century Belgian Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Silver

Pair of French Directoire Candlesticks Made in the 1790s
Located in Stockholm, SE
A pair of French candlesticks in a wonderful condition. White marble mounted with bronze ornaments. The quality of the castings and chiseling is high. the design is romantic and beau...
Category

Late 18th Century European Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair Louis XVI  Ormolu Bronze Horse Handled Urn Candlesticks
Located in New York, NY
Pair Louis XVI  Ormolu Bronze Horse Handled Urn Candlesticks. French Empire-Directoire Period patinated urn form candlesticks with ormolu mounts, Ottoman influenced horsehead handles...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Pair of Gilt and Patinated Bronze Candlesticks. Directoire, Late 18th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
A Pair of Gilt and Dark-Patinated Bronze Candlesticks – French Directoire, Late 18th Century An exquisite pair of French gilt and dark-patinated bronze candlesticks, crafted during ...
Category

1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Directoire Antique French Candlesticks
Located in DELFT, NL
French Directoire Period brass Candlesticks. The detachable socles set within urn shaped holders, baluster-shaped stems, terminating on circular bases. Some rubbing and wear.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Brass

Antique Brass Candlesticks 18th century - Baroque
Located in DELFT, NL
Franco-Flemish, so Dutch or French Baroque period 18th century brass Candlesticks. Each with an octagonal base supporting baluster stems and candle cups. (Each candle cup has a hol...
Category

Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Brass

19th Century Pair of Directoire Silver metal Bronze Directoire Candlesticks
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of French Directory period candlesticks, early 19th century, in silver bronze with base decoration with concentric arches, upper part decorated w...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

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Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze - ormolu candlesticks - 19th century - 11" 3/4
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Pair of Louis XVI Style Silver-Plated Candlesticks
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

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Pair of Similar French Louis XVI Style Brass Candlesticks, 1920s
Located in Barntrup, DE
An elegant pair of very similar French Louis XVI-style brass candlesticks or candle holders from the 1920s. Beautifully ornate with rich chiseling, stripes, and rosettes throughout....
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1920s French Vintage Directoire Candlesticks

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Pair, French Empire Gilt Bronze Crane Motif Candlesticks Circa 1815
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Louis XVI Style Putto Ormolu Patinated Bronze and Marble Candlestick
Located in Vero Beach, FL
This French candleholder, in the style of Clodion, is mounted on white statuary Carrara marble. The patinated putto holds a candle support of flowering acanthus leaves. Circular and rectangular marble shapes...
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

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Louis XVI Style Putto Ormolu Patinated Bronze and Marble Candlestick
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20th Century French Directoire Candlesticks

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Bronze

Pair Of Louis XVI Style Candelabra
Located in Stamford, CT
Magnificent pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI style six light candelabra in urn form. Having the highest quality dore bronze and marble.
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair Of Louis XVI Style Candelabra
Pair Of Louis XVI Style Candelabra
$6,750 / set
H 31.5 in W 13.5 in D 12 in
Pair of French Figural Candlesticks
Located in Hudson, NY
A pair of gilt and patinated bronze figural candlesticks on marble plinths.
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Early 20th Century French Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair of French Figural Candlesticks
Pair of French Figural Candlesticks
$4,150 / set
H 12.5 in W 2.75 in D 2.75 in
Pair of Mid-19th Century Ormolu Candlestick Lamps
Located in London, GB
A pair of mid-19th century ormolu candlesticks with engine-turned detail throughout, having urn-shaped nozzles and tapering stems with vase-shape to the bottom, ending on circular ba...
Category

19th Century English Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Ormolu

Pair of Mid-19th Century Ormolu Candlestick Lamps
Pair of Mid-19th Century Ormolu Candlestick Lamps
$1,638 / set
H 19.69 in Dm 4.73 in
A Pair of Louis XV Style Candlesticks
By Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Louis XV Style Candlesticks. Each baluster stem cast with C-scrolls and below a nozzle and drip-pan, on a spreading rocaille-cast and moulded circular base These charmi...
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

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Ormolu

A Pair of Louis XV Style Candlesticks
A Pair of Louis XV Style Candlesticks
$2,458
H 7.88 in W 4.73 in D 4.73 in
Pair Of 19th century Ormolu Swan Candlesticks After William Bateman II
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
A pair of 19th century English ormolu and parcel silvered swan candlesticks after an 1834 design by William Bateman II for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. Each leafy acanthus-form nozzl...
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1850s British Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Gilt Bronze Neoclassical Candlesticks 19th Century
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A pair of very finely-chiselled French gilt bronze candlesticks crafted in the neoclassical style. The decoration is extremely intricate, particularly on the circular base and tulip-...
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19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

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Bronze

Previously Available Items
A Pair of Candlesticks in Gilt Bronze, 19th Century, in the style of Directoire
Located in Knivsta, SE
A Pair of Elegant and Ornate Gilt Bronze Candlesticks from the 19th Century. In the style of Directoire. Wear consistent with age and use
Category

19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Pair of 19th Century French Corinthian Column Gilt Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Pair of 19th Century French Corinthian column gilt bronze candlesticks. With tripod-shaped feet on paws and acanthus sheathed and fluted pillars. Ci...
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Mid-19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Candlesticks in gilded and darkpatinated bronze. Directoire circa 1795
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of very sophisticated Candlesticks in gilded and darkpatinated bronze. Probably made in Paris, France during the Directoire, circa 1795. Wear consistent with age and use.
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1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Sophisticated Gilt Bronze Candlesticks, Directoire circa 1795
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of sophisticated and elegant gilt bronze Candlesticks, Probably made in Paris, France. Directoire circa 1795. Wear consistent with age and use.
Category

1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Louis XVI Antique French Candlesticks - 18th century
Located in DELFT, NL
French Louis XVI Period brass Candlesticks. The detachable socles set within urn shaped holders, raised on tapering stop-fluted stems, terminating on circular bases. Some rubbing an...
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Early 19th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Brass

Pair of French Brass Directoire Period Antique Candlesticks, Early 19th Century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A good pair of Directoire period brass candlesticks circa the first quarter of the 19th century, they exhibit separately formed candle wells that remove from the stem over a ring-tur...
Category

19th Century Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Brass

Pair of French Directoire Candlesticks, circa 1790
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of rare and beautiful French Directoire candlesticks in gilt bronze from the late 18th century. In very good antique condition. Marked in the lower part of the foot with "13...
Category

1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Gold Plate, Bronze

Pair of Louis XVI Directoire Silver Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of silver bronze candlesticks, Directoire period-Louis XVI.,
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Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Silver, Bronze

Pair of French Brass Directoire Period Antique Candlesticks, Early 19th Century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A good pair of Directoire period brass candlesticks circa the first quarter of the 19th century, they exhibit separately formed candle wells that remove from the stem over a ring-tur...
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19th Century Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Brass

Pair of Directoire-Period Ormolu Candlesticks
Located in Paris, FR
Directoire-period candlestick holders crafted in gilt bronze. Reflecting the late 18th century Directoire taste for the clearly geometrical forms, straight lines and flat surfaces, t...
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Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Directoire Gilt and Patinated Bronze Candlesticks Mounted as Lamps
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Now mounted as Bouillotte Lamps, each patinated winged sphinx raised on rouge griotte marble square bases applied with an ormolu griffin. Each lampshade made of tole.
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Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

Materials

Griotte Marble, Bronze

Pair of Late 18th Century Directoire Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of late 18th century Directoire bronze candlesticks, the fluted and octagonal stem raising from an octagonal base chased with a fine Doric kym...
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1790s French Antique Directoire Candlesticks

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Bronze

Directoire candlesticks for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Directoire candlesticks for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage candlesticks created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Directoire candlesticks made in a specific country, there are Europe, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 candlesticks differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $670 and tops out at $3,755 while the average work can sell for $1,379.

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