Greek Woman Candlesticks with Gilded Sconce and Crystal Drops

Pair of 19th century bronze figural candlesticks, a standing…
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Pair of 19th century bronze figural candlesticks, a standing ancient Greek woman with hands over her head a gilded brass candle sconce, with ten scrolling arms terminating in a stylised fleur de lis, with crystal drops, the base of cream marble on a brass frame, the feet in the form of women's heads. 13 x 13 x 36 cm.

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  • Sconce - A light attached to a wall. Originally a candle holder that is attached to a wall with an ornamental bracket and sometimes with a reflective back plate, but now applied to an electric light that has been inspired by that design.

    In recent times the word has also come into use to desribe the candle holders on a candelabra.
  • Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.

    The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.

    It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
  • Fleur-De-Lis - The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily or iris flower with

    three petals that has been used as a decorative motif for thousands of years. It

    often appears in Christian iconography symbolising the Holy Trinity and as an

    emblem that reflects the purity of the Virgin Mary. In decorative art and antiques

    decoration, the fleur-de-lis is often used as a symbol of elegance, refinement,

    and good taste.



    The fleur-de-lis has a rich history and in ancient times, it

    was associated with royalty, purity, and the divine, and it was used as a

    symbol of the French monarchy for many centuries.



    It is a common design element in ceramics, silverware, jewellery,

    furniture, and other decorative objects, and it can be found in many different

    styles and forms.

  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.

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