Pair Of Gilded Bronze Candlesticks In The Regency Style, France, 1870–1890

This elegant pair of gilded bronze table candlesticks was crafted in the classical style of the French Regency period. Each candlestick rests on a contoured octagonal base that rises in stepped tiers. The rim of the base is richly decorated with a frieze of stylized acanthus leaves, shell motifs, and delicate beaded borders. The tapered, baluster-shaped, faceted shaft rises from a decorative knob. It is adorned all around with refined reliefs, notably medallions and garlands. The ensemble is topped by an octagonal candleholder featuring diamond-shaped engravings and matching wax catchers.

The Regency style (1715–1730) is a French artistic style that marks the transition from the heavy, symmetrical Baroque of Louis XIV to the playful Rococo style that emerged during the reign of Louis XV. Designs from this period retain the symmetry of the Baroque while adopting more fluid and curved lines. The most common motifs are acanthus leaves, arabesques, light floral garlands, and seashells.