Pair Of Solid Silver Rocaille Candlesticks By P.-f.-a. Turquet, Paris, 1844–1855

A fine pair of first-standard solid silver (950/1000) candlesticks, unweighted, made in Paris between 1844 and 1855 by the Parisian master silversmith Pierre-François-Augustin TURQUET.

The shaped bases, with their boldly contoured outline, display a richly sculpted Rococo Revival decoration composed of asymmetrical shells, scrolling foliage, flowering branches and fruit clusters. Bright polished surfaces contrast harmoniously with finely matted grounds and carefully worked relief decoration, creating a striking sense of vitality and subtle depth.

The baluster stems rise gracefully from shaped terraces and are enriched with twisted fluting, rocaille clasps, scrolling cartouches and foliate ornament that continues the movement of the bases with remarkable fluidity. The detachable drip pans, likewise richly decorated with gadrooning and foliage, integrate seamlessly with the overall design.

Despite the richness of its ornamentation, the composition retains exceptional clarity. The alternation of broad polished reserves and raised decorative motifs lends the pair considerable elegance.

The original detachable silver drip pans are present.

Hallmarks

• Minerva 1st standard (.950 silver).
• Maker's mark: PAT, with a lion and a star above, for Pierre-François-Augustin TURQUET.

Dimensions

• Height: 27 cm (10.63 in.)
• Diameter: 15 cm (5.91 in.)

Net weight: 915 g (29.42 troy oz.)

Paris, 1844–1855.

Historical Note

This pair beautifully illustrates the revival of the Louis XV style that became one of the defining trends in Parisian silver during the mid-nineteenth century. Rather than merely reproducing eighteenth-century models, it offers a particularly opulent yet remarkably well-balanced interpretation of the Rococo vocabulary, where the richness of the ornamentation is constantly tempered by the harmony of its proportions. As such, it is an excellent example of the historicist taste that flourished during the July Monarchy and the early years of the Second Empire.

Pierre-François-Augustin TURQUET

Pierre-François-Augustin TURQUET was a Parisian silversmith specialising in large-scale silverware. He registered his maker's mark on 19 October 1844 and worked from 32 rue du Bourg-l'Abbé, Paris, until his mark was cancelled on 5 November 1855.

His work forms part of the broader revival of historic styles that characterised French silver during the July Monarchy and the early Second Empire, a period in which the Louis XV style enjoyed a particularly strong resurgence.