Testimonial Candelabrum and stand
Candelabrum and Stand
1858-1859 (made)
1858-1859 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This candelabrum was presented as a testimonial to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore by the son of the Ottoman governor of Egypt who, as a young child, had stayed with the Montefiores as their guest. The central scene of the testimonial depicts a man atop a camel with another man leading a horse, alongside a second camel. A palm tree is at the centre of the object.
The design of nineteenth-century testimonials, as monumental presentation pieces, usually related directly to the recipient. In this case, the central scene might have been intended to remind the Montefiores of their young guest as well as the time that Sir Moses had spent in Egypt as a younger man.
An image of the testimonial was published in the Illustrated London News in March 1859. In this image, the serving dish which surmounts the object is shown filled with salad leaves.
The design of nineteenth-century testimonials, as monumental presentation pieces, usually related directly to the recipient. In this case, the central scene might have been intended to remind the Montefiores of their young guest as well as the time that Sir Moses had spent in Egypt as a younger man.
An image of the testimonial was published in the Illustrated London News in March 1859. In this image, the serving dish which surmounts the object is shown filled with salad leaves.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
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| Title | Testimonial Candelabrum and stand (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, wood |
| Brief description | Testimonial candelabrum of silver with salad dish on top, on historic wooden stand. Made by Smith and Nicholson, hallmarked London, 1858-59. |
| Physical description | Testimonial candelabrum with salad dish, on historic stand. The candelabrum and salad dish are of silver and the historic stand is of carved wood. The candelabrum is in the form of a central palm tree, with leaves extending upwards. Two silver scrolls surround the central scene of a man atop a camel, a man leading a horse, and a second camel. The whole scene sits on a silver base of scrolls and foliage. A dish, most likely used to serve salad, surmounts the candelabrum. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | Marks of Smith and Nicholson, London hallmarks, leopard, duty, date letter, sterling for 1858-59. |
| Credit line | Lent by the Trustees of the Montefiore Endowment, Ramsgate. |
| Object history | This candelabrum was presented as a testimonial to Sir Moses and Lady Judith Montefiore by the son of the Ottomoan governor of Egypt who, as a young child, had stayed with the Montefiores. There was a huge demand for presentation silver in the 19th-century, and the largest and most prestigious firms such as Mortimer and Hunt (later Hunt and Roskell), Elkingtons, and C. J. Hancock vied with each other to show their latest pieces at the international exhibitions. Sculptural testimonials were very fashionable and the pieces were often published. This testimonial appeared in the Illustrated London News in March 1859. On a smaller scale, gold boxes, swords, tea sets and salvers were also presented as testimonials to councillors, businessmen, soldiers and sailors. |
| Association | |
| Summary | This candelabrum was presented as a testimonial to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore by the son of the Ottoman governor of Egypt who, as a young child, had stayed with the Montefiores as their guest. The central scene of the testimonial depicts a man atop a camel with another man leading a horse, alongside a second camel. A palm tree is at the centre of the object. The design of nineteenth-century testimonials, as monumental presentation pieces, usually related directly to the recipient. In this case, the central scene might have been intended to remind the Montefiores of their young guest as well as the time that Sir Moses had spent in Egypt as a younger man. An image of the testimonial was published in the Illustrated London News in March 1859. In this image, the serving dish which surmounts the object is shown filled with salad leaves. |
| Bibliographic reference | The Illustrated London News. March 26 1859 p. 309 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1 |
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| Record created | March 3, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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