Joseph Germain Dutalis, Brussels 1814-1831, Pair Of Solid Silver Candlesticks

A lovely pair of Empire-style solid silver candlesticks by the court goldsmith of King William I of Holland and King Leopold I of Belgium. The hallmarks on the candlesticks date from the period 1814-1831. Joseph Germain Dutalis (Brussels, 23 April 1780 - 5 December 1852) was a Belgian silversmith (silver and gold). He was the son of Pierre Gabriël Germain Dutalis and Maria Johanna le Lait. As a silversmith, he succeeded his father, with whom he was also an apprentice. Father and son had a successful business in the Rue de la Madeleine in Brussels. In addition, he also studied with other silversmiths in Antwerp, Bergen (his father's birthplace), Namur, Antwerp and Leuven. In Paris, he worked as an apprentice for 2 years and met Biennais and Odiot, who would have a great influence on him. He took control of the family workshop in 1814. He became the purveyor to the court of King William I of the Netherlands and later, from 1830, also to Leopold I of Belgium. Joseph Germain Dutalis made thousands of utensils and decorative objects at the request of King William I.Purveyor to the court of King William IWith changing parliaments in The Hague and Brussels, Joseph had a busy schedule in the United Netherlands. Moreover, it was not just the royal court: on a tax list from 1817, drawn up by the 100 most important companies of the time, Dutalis was the only goldsmith. There were regalia and awards, silver plaques, medals and jewelry. To this day, the hundreds of silver pieces commissioned by William I from Dutalis are used at the royal court in The Hague. He is also known as the designer of a large part of the jewelry of Anna Paulona, Princess of Orange. She also commissioned the Russian Orthodox-style church silver, which is currently kept in the chapel of St. Mary Magdalene Church. Of the many silver pieces Dutalis delivered to the court, 1,795 pieces have been preserved and are now part of the royal collections. These are not only silverware for the royal table, but also gifts, birth gifts for children and grandchildren, jewelry, and church silverware. The pair weighs 800 grams.