Candlestick

ca. 1778-1779 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Candl stick in the form of a sphinx, enamelled and gilt soft-paste porcelain. One of a pair with C.30-1975. The sphinx sits on an oblong plinth, bearing a candleholder on its head, with its wings folded behind it and a fringed shawl across its breasts. The head is naturalistically painted in iron-red, blue, brown and crimson. The rest of the body is left white with gilding. The plinth and holder are decorated in turquoise and gilt. The base of the plinth is moulded with a key-fret border, reserved in white against turquoise ground and emphasised with soft grey blue.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded
Brief description
Candlestick, one of a pair, enamelled and gilt soft-paste porcelain, William Duesbury & Co., Derby, ca. 1778-1779
Physical description
Candl stick in the form of a sphinx, enamelled and gilt soft-paste porcelain. One of a pair with C.30-1975. The sphinx sits on an oblong plinth, bearing a candleholder on its head, with its wings folded behind it and a fringed shawl across its breasts. The head is naturalistically painted in iron-red, blue, brown and crimson. The rest of the body is left white with gilding. The plinth and holder are decorated in turquoise and gilt. The base of the plinth is moulded with a key-fret border, reserved in white against turquoise ground and emphasised with soft grey blue.
Dimensions
  • Height: 27cm
  • Base width: 8.8cm
  • Base length: 13.5cm
Production
These candlesticks were first issued at Derby ca. 1773, when they were described in factory lists as 'No 95 Candlestick', and then reissued in 1778 as No. 223. Examples were described in the Christie's sale of Chelsea-Derby porcelain on 18 February 1778 ('A sphinx chandileer, fine blue and gold, richly finished', which realized £1 18s hammer price) and on 5 May 1779 ('One sphinx chandileer, fine blue and gold', which realized £2 11s).
Subjects depicted
Associated object
Collection
Accession number
C.30A-1975

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Record createdAugust 14, 2008
Record URL
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