Princely Splendor Candelabra After P. Philippe Thomire

Bronze, finely engraved, silvered. On three claw-feet, several times structured, fluted column-shaft. Measures: Height: 73.5 cm, diameter 25 cm.

Bronze, finely engraved and antique silvered. Columns as holder for four sweeping candelabra arms. Diameter: 30 cm height: 52 cm.

Bronze, finely engraved. Column-shaft as holder for four Sweeping candelabra arms. Diameter:30cm height:52 cm.

Bronze, finely engraved and silvered. Chanelled columns with black patination, as holder for four sweeping candelabra arms. Measures: Diameter 33cm, height 62cm.

Bronze, engraved and silvered. Both sides handle in the form of a pair of snakes.

Bronze, engraved and silvered. Three-columns, shafts with full-plastic, finely engraved swans. Funnel-shaped insert.

Exceptionally fine engraved and moulded bronze. Fully moulded Designed figurines (Victoria). Overhead and hand held torch formed shaft with 12 fully Horn-style sweeping light arms....

Princely splendid candelabra after Pierre Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) exceptionally fine engraved and moulded bronze. Fully moulded designed f...

Princely splendor candelabra after P. Philippe Thomire, (1751-1843). Exceptionally fine engraved and moulded bronze. Fully moulded designed figurines...

A pair of Empire ceremonial candelabras / candlesticks after P. P. Thomire Victoria standing on a gold ball in a long, pleated robe, carrying a vase with a central shaft and 7 c...

A pair of exceptionally elegant and important late Empire five-light figural candelabra ‘A la Victoire’ in gilt-bronze, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire, after a design by Charles Percier. Imposing size at 81cm in height. Paris c.1820 Superbly cast, in the Neo-Classical style, the five scrolling foliate candle branches enclosing central sconces issuing from a circular wreath supported by the winged figure of Victory (Nike), wearing diaphanous robes gathered by a sash above a long underskirt splaying out from above her ankles, with beautifully feathered wings flowing behind her as she looks straight ahead. Each figure standing on one foot, the other bent, resting on a plain sphere over a reeded palmette-cast baluster pedestal raised on square plinth. Wonderful colour and patina, pierced for electricity, old inventory label to the underside. We are delighted to have been able to acquire these important candelabra as rarely does one get the opportunity to purchase items by P P Thomire, who was the leading Parisian gilt metal manufacturer and gilder of the early 19th century. As noted below candelabra of this caliber are often found in museums and important private & Royal collections. Provenance. These came from a private Swiss collection which had been in the family since the early 20th Century. Literature. The present candelabra were certainly made after, or at least inspired by, designs by the architects Charles Percier (1764–1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853) who were the two most influential figures in the field of Empire decoration and furnishing. Official architects to the court of Napoleon, their main responsibility was the renovation of the various royal residences. Their Recueil des décorations intérieures (1812) was an essential handbook of the Empire style. The personification of Victory as a winged figure became an integral element within Empire design as a symbol of military triumph through the intervention of Percier and Fontaine. The design for the present pair of candelabra is believed to have derived from a design by Charles Percier’s workshop in his drawings for Empress Josephine’s boudoir at Saint Cloud (*at the Metropolitan Museum in New York). This depicts the winged figure of Victory balanced on one foot supporting candelabra. The design was successfully exploited by Thomire (1751-1843) as well as his contemporary Claude Galle (1759-1815). Pierre-Philippe Thomire was almost unrivalled as a bronzeur in this period. Thomire, who was born in Paris, followed his father's profession as a fondeur-ciseleur. His career was advanced when he studied under the great fondeur-doreur, Pierre Gouthière, from whom he acquired the most refined skills in chasing and gilding, in particular matt gilding 'dorure au matt', to produce a subtle grainy satin-like finish. By the late eighteenth century Thomire had achieved considerable renown, having enjoyed the patronage of Louis XVI. His name occurs often in the accounts of the Royal Furniture Repository between 1784-1789, in the ledgers of Louis XVI and in those of the manufactory of Sevres. After the French Revolution he returned to making decorative bronzes and thereafter enjoyed the patronage of Napoleon and subsequently the restored Bourbon monarchy, as well as foreign royalty and aristocracy. Appointed a maître-fondeur in 1772, he set up his own business in 1776 following a collaboration with Jean-Louis Prieur in the decoration of Louis XVI's coronation coach...

A Fine Pair of Neoclassical Bronze Dore Candelabra With the Mythological Figures of Flora & Zephyr Now mounted as Bouillotte Lamps Early 19th Century Attributed to Thomire...