17th Century French Bronze Massive Ball Baluster Socket Candlestick Circa 1620
Item History & Price
17th centuryFrench Renaissance bronze massive ball baluster socket candlestick, circa 1620We purchase collections of Continental lighting, metalwork, ceramics, glass & textiles, enabling me to offer a quantity of rareantiques. Please register my store/page in your favorites, for a fine range of 14th to 19th century period metalwork, lighting& other pieces, all guaranteed, as to age, condition & origin. Ihave far more than I can possibly keep up with, as to eBay. Text, ...formatting & images © 2019 – R. JosefBurdett-Williamson – all rights reserved.Breveté, 2019, par M. R. Josef Burdett-Williamson. ATTENTION – défense de reproduction !We are very serious, as to Intellectual Property & Author rights – violations arereported to our Intellectual Properties attorneys in Paris & Leeds. Please readmy terms of sale carefully!Elly BurdettThis is in France.Other pieces (from my collection - not for sale) are for scale.You are only bidding onthe featured candlestick.Free collection by appt. is possible:my collections & some of Elly’s many new arrivals can be viewed. Please note:For those not familiar with my eBay store, you are dealing with 2 different people in England & France. I’m apart-time antiques dealer, & sometimes exhibit at UK antiques shows. I don't know what's up with eBay, butit’s not good - I have many fine period antiques, often listed at Frenchwholesale prices. If sales don't improve, I will close this account - myinventory has massively increased, and I need results. I returned from France last month with about 2, 000 kilos ofantiques in the van – 4, 500 lbs. – 75 of the top lots went to the leading UKauction house, for his December sale.My associate in France is an expatAmerican historian of European Decorative Arts & museum curator, with 45years of advanced experience. Sincerely, ET Burdett Dear friends &clients: Elly has more FineArts & Antiques than we can begin to keep up with, as to eBay – at least4, 000 period pieces. Group photos will give you a slight ideaof the depth of my collections, and Elly's inventory - 500 new acquisitionsin recent weeks, with more arriving almost daily - keep watching this page. R. Josef My reference library on earlyContinental metalwork & lighting is about as good as it gets – there areperhaps half a dozen books I’m still searching for, but by and large it’s verycomprehensive. Even so, I don’t know of a single volume in any language thathas even begun to correctly tackle the very complex history of mid-drip socketcandlesticks, secular pricket candlesticks, or the even more complicatedsubject of socket candlesticks prior to about 1625. Elly has sold far in excessof 1, 000 early candlesticks; I’ve handled manymore, and currently have 300 or so lurking about my house. This was just acquired from a dealer in SouthernCoastal France, and I’ve handled several others with virtually identical feet, also from south of Paris to Coastal France. However, the onlydefinitive way to get to the bottom of origins is by sampling a very large number of early Continentalpieces using XRF technology (which is something I’ve been doing for 9 years).The Lear Collection: A study ofcopper-alloy socket candlestsicks (1995), by Christopher Bangshas a chapter on Bangs referred to as “Candlesticks with Pronounced Knops”, pages 147 to 150, and 328 to 337. Given the superficial nature of The Lear Collection, and virtually allother books based on what I consider to be “trophy” collections, I find it ofvery limited use. I have at least another100 reference books in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, (and English)that address both base-metal objects of domestic life and lighting at length –and literally all contain errors – the most reliable are in French orGerman.This is one of the earlier, finestand rare French socket candlesticks I’ve been able to buy for Elly for resale –it is flawless, and the foot has very close affinities with French HenriII period whale oil lamps (circa 1560 – I own several). The feet of Henri II lamps are a particularlyuseful benchmark, as to dating – they are exceedingly rare, and documented, asto specific period. As to the “pronounced knop”, this compares most favorablywith those in The LearCollection. The only condition comment is that the footis the very slightest bit loose – it doesn't flop around, but rotates by maybe 40%. Inverting the ‘stick and adding some fast-drying wood glue is an excellent andnon-invasive solution – I’ll do it if the buyer wishes.This is absolutely untouched – the foot sits flat, there are no repairs whatsoever, and the color, surfaces and patination of the shaft and foot are a flawlessmatch. Casting pins are prominently visible on either side of the massiveannular ball knop, and the foot is lathed in typical French fashion. Among other defects with virtually every earlylighting or metalwork book in print is the total lack of technicalphotographs, plus highly limited and erroneous discussions of constructionaspects. No close-ups or other photos from under the feet are included, andwith the single exception of Old Domesticbase-Metal Candlesticks by RonaldMichaelis (Pub. 1978), there are nocommentaries on casting pins, or other important variations on castingtechniques.If you don’t already have Michaelis, Ihighly recommend it, and over any others in the English language. Many pre-1710 baluster candlesticks have visiblecasting pins on either side of the medial knop – but they can be present undersilvering, or when gilded; “sweated” – brazed over – or not present to beginwith, if the shaft was turned from a solid mass. What is even less known isthat casting pins can be present in weird places – I own a fabulous, late 16thcentury North Italian or South German candlestick with a huge bobeche: the ironcasting pin is still present – in thebase of the socket – you can touch it with your little finger! I’veincluded it in the group photo, far left. I suspect that an X-ray might be ofuse, as to casting pins that have been plated or brazed over, but I’m not closeenough to the local hospital to make this a viable option (and I don’t know howthe technicians would react to such a request!).We are independently listed with the NewEngland Appraisers Association, for France or England.Condition:untouched! – as-seen, and as described above. Itotherwise has less than the normal wear and very minor dings that can beexpected on very early metalwork. Photos are high resolution – usemagnification for viewing details. Please ask, if you wishadditional photos.© R. JosefBurdett-Williamson Certified expert & appraiser, New England Appraisers Association.FoundingTrustee, NewBedford Museum of Glass.Maximum Height – 6 & 1/2” (16.5 cm.): foot diameter – 4& 1/2"(11.4 cm.). Weight– 540 grams, not including packaging.Insuredmailing within France is 12 Euros; to the UK & EU is 17Euros – to North America is30 Euros.We don't charge for packing & handling, & always offer grouped rate posting, with no time limits.We ship from both France & the UK– please read listings carefully – rates& conditions are substantially different.Important!We usually mail within 3 to 7 working days from clearance of payment: but request that buyers beunderstanding of delays due to illness, severe weather, or computer problems: this is strictly a small business, with no employees! Intolerantbuyers, or those leaving less than 5-star feedback (no longer invisible) willbe black-listed.This is not a"decorator" shop - eBay’s Consumer Goods-generated “Hassle-freereturns” policy does not apply to arbitrary whim, or unqualifiedopinion! Returns areaccepted - if: there is amajor problem with the age, condition or origin of a piece as described;and this is confirmed by aqualified expert with professionalcredentials. Photographs of any alleged damage arerequired - they are mandatory for insurance claims.What you pay for shippingis actual cost – international shipping is stupidlyexpensive - we have absolutely no control over rates – I lose 6%+to PayPal UK, andoften absorb extra costs, such as double-boxing.International buyers – please inquire, as to mailing costs!Note: Our independent certifications with theNew EnglandAppraisers Association (in both France & England) expedite Customsclearances, and prevent EXCESS duties from being incorrectly imposed onantiques conforming to the 100 years legal dateline, thus saving buyers 10% to 43% inrelevant countries.Payments:PayPal, French or UK checks, or bank drafts, & all banktransfers accepted. I am obligedto accept PayPal, but prefer bank transfers, or UK or French checks – PayPal UKtakes a 6%+bite out of all transactions - including shipping costs.My Frenchbusiness associate is an expatriate American historian of Decorative Arts, apublished antiques editor & writer, curator, certified appraiser, &internationally respected authority in early glass, lighting, metalwork, sculpture, period furniture & other categories. He has placed pieces withFrench & US museums, including the Smithsonian, & assists me withacquisitions, research & texts. You can buy from me, with confidence inyour purchases. We are separate and private, academic collectors, looking todefray the costs of advancing with our own collections. R. Josef is the only European Decorative Arts specialist for the New England Appraisers Association residing in the European Union, and isavailable for expertise or arbitration. We are independently listed with the New England Appraisers Association, for France or the UK. ETBurdettDear buyers – apologiesfor the intrusive copyright lines, but they are there because R. Josef is anextensively published expert with ongoing academic & commercialcommissions, including forthcoming books. Listings often contain originalresearch & information that has not appeared before; several British &Continental eBay sellers have been reported for plagiarizing formatting &texts. We fiercely protect our Intellectual Property rights– and in court, when necessary.
00087
00087
