Gorham & Co Automatic Torch On Silver-plated Candlestick With Openwork Shade

Elliant and unusual late 19th-century composition combining a richly embossed silver-plated candlestick, an automatic torch stamped Gorham & Co and its silver-plated lampshade.

The mechanical part of the torch does bear the stamp of the Gorham & Co factory, a great American house renowned for the quality of its goldsmith's and fine utilitarian object production in the Victorian period. The candlestick itself has no particular markings, but the whole forms a perfectly coherent composition both aesthetically and technically.

The automatic system is particularly ingenious: the candle is held in a spring-mounted tube that gradually rises as it burns, allowing the flame to always remain at the same height. This type of mechanism, very popular at the end of the 19th century, combined comfort of use, safety and decorative refinement.

The object is preserved with its original silver-plated metal shade, with cut-out geometric decoration. This delicately diffuses the light while protecting the flame from air movements. Once assembled, the whole gives off a very elegant presence, between late Victorian spirit and Arts & Crafts influences.

The square scrolled base features a rich repoussé decoration of naturalistic foliage and scrolls. The silvering remains in a very fine state of preservation with only discreet traces of age. The overall patina remains soft and luminous, with no visual aggression.

The automatic mechanism works perfectly, which is becoming relatively rare on this type of antique piece that is often incomplete or neutralized.

A collector's piece as decorative as it is technical, ideal in a cabinet of curiosities, an eclectic interior or a refined Victorian ambience.

• Total height with lampshade: 44 cm
• Height of torch alone: approx. 21 cm
• Base : 11 x 11 cm

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Buyers may request additional photographs or a video of the object in order to appreciate its details and operation. These can be sent via WhatsApp or SMS.
You can also discover other pieces and some presentation videos directly on the workshop's Instagram: L'Alchimiste Atelier Instagram