Pair Of Torches, Mons, 1796
Rare pair of silver torches executed in Mons in 1796, at a pivotal time in the history of the former southern Netherlands, shortly after the French annexation.
Each torch rests on a slightly flared circular base, decorated with large radiant godrons underlined by a delicate pearled row. The cylindrical barrel is entirely treated in regular helical twist, punctuated with sober moldings and finished with a discreetly profiled binet.
The proportions are particularly harmonious: slender without fragility, decorative without overload. Continuous twisting, rare in the preserved mons production of this period, gives the whole an immediately recognizable formal identity.
The execution reveals an assertive mastery of turning and gliding, as well as a perfect assimilation of late neoclassical vocabulary.
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Punches
• Date punch: 1796
• Master's punch: passing dog
• Mons city punches: crowned AE and tower
These marks correspond to the control system in force in Mons at the end of the 18th century.
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Background and publication
The year 1796 corresponds to a period of major political transition in the southern Netherlands. The production of goldsmithing in Mons on this date remains scarce, and documented works are rare.
Model published in: Sébastien Tercelin de Joigny, The 18th century in Mons: a century of gold and silver, cat. n°74, torches 1796.
Reproduction for documentary purposes.
Where it is reported as a singular example and described as the only currently known work of this goldsmith.
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Origin
Former collection of the
François Duesberg Museum.
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Importance
By the precision of its dating, the rarity of its author, its publication and its institutional origin, this pair goes beyond the simple decorative frame to be part of a restricted category of regional goldsmithing documented from the end of the Ancien Régime.
It is a particularly coherent testimony of Mons production on the eve of the definitive disappearance of traditional corporate structures.
Height: 27 cm
Diameter of the bases: 14 cm
Weight: 570 g (the pair)
Each torch rests on a slightly flared circular base, decorated with large radiant godrons underlined by a delicate pearled row. The cylindrical barrel is entirely treated in regular helical twist, punctuated with sober moldings and finished with a discreetly profiled binet.
The proportions are particularly harmonious: slender without fragility, decorative without overload. Continuous twisting, rare in the preserved mons production of this period, gives the whole an immediately recognizable formal identity.
The execution reveals an assertive mastery of turning and gliding, as well as a perfect assimilation of late neoclassical vocabulary.
⸻
Punches
• Date punch: 1796
• Master's punch: passing dog
• Mons city punches: crowned AE and tower
These marks correspond to the control system in force in Mons at the end of the 18th century.
⸻
Background and publication
The year 1796 corresponds to a period of major political transition in the southern Netherlands. The production of goldsmithing in Mons on this date remains scarce, and documented works are rare.
Model published in: Sébastien Tercelin de Joigny, The 18th century in Mons: a century of gold and silver, cat. n°74, torches 1796.
Reproduction for documentary purposes.
Where it is reported as a singular example and described as the only currently known work of this goldsmith.
⸻
Origin
Former collection of the
François Duesberg Museum.
⸻
Importance
By the precision of its dating, the rarity of its author, its publication and its institutional origin, this pair goes beyond the simple decorative frame to be part of a restricted category of regional goldsmithing documented from the end of the Ancien Régime.
It is a particularly coherent testimony of Mons production on the eve of the definitive disappearance of traditional corporate structures.
Height: 27 cm
Diameter of the bases: 14 cm
Weight: 570 g (the pair)
3 200 €
Period: 18th century
Style: Louis 16th, Directory
Condition: Excellent condition
Material: Sterling silver
Reference (ID): 1716326
Availability: In stock
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