CIRCA 1810, POSSIBLY BY ALEXIS DECAIX

This Regency patinated-bronze and ormolu candelabrum is virtually identical to a set of twenty-four silver-gilt four-light candelabra, which form part of the Grand Service in the Royal Collection, made for the Prince of Wales (later George IV) for Carlton House at a cost of £70,000 for the whole service (RCIN 50827). The set was created between 1803 and 1812 at two different workshops, Digby Scott & Benjamin Smith II, and Paul Storr, who were contracted to the Royal gold and silversmith, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. It was delivered in three batches to Carlton House between 1810 and 1812. The design was evidently fashionable among the Prince’s set for Du Pré Alexander, 2nd Earl of Caledon (1777-1839) owned a pair of silver candelabra of this model (sold Christie’s, London, 10 June 2010, lot 360), and both the 1st and 2nd Earls of Harewood were frequenting Rundell’s for their silver; in August 1800, the Harewood cash account records a payment to the firm for £217 2s (C. Kennedy, Harewood: The Life and Times of an English Country House, London, 1982, p. 63; WYL2503acs85).

The zoomorphic legs of the set from the Grand Service, and on the example offered here, are probably derived from a Roman bronze tripod with lion supports in the Museo Nazionale Romano (for a drawing of this tripod by Charles Robert Cockerell, see RIBA96629). The Regency designer, George Smith, who described himself as ‘Upholder Extraordinary to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales’, also published closely-related designs for ‘Tripod Stands for Work Tables, Screens & Candelabra’ in his Collection of Designs in 1808, plate III, and may have been responsible for disseminating the design (Smith was publishing designs, presumably as individual sheets, from as early as 1804-07).

This candelabrum was possibly executed by Alexis Decaix (d. 1811) of 15 Rupert Street, the French bronzier and modeller, who served as the Prince of Wales’ bronze-founder from at least June 1791. In a bill dated 5 January 1801 and issued to the Prince, Decaix describes himself as a ‘bronze and ormolu manufacturer’. Decaix, was also inspired by the designs of Thomas Hope, the latter praising his craftsmanship, and is, furthermore, known to have worked for Henry Holland (the Prince of Wales’ architect at Carlton House).