Ref: W339
Archive item - not for sale
Pair of gilt metal Chinese candlesticks, 19th century, each with a central crouching lion dog with bright turquoise glaze with two sconces in the shape of flower seed pods and leafwork in gilt, width of largest: 15.2cm. (6in.), height of tallest: 13cm. (5 1/8 in.) condition: one missing sconce, firing crack to ceramic incense holder on reverse, the other with one gilt leaf missing, tiny frit to tongue, incense holder on reverse broken, frit to horn. Production of tableware for European markets increased at Jingdezhen from the early eighteenth century, and very frequently gilt mounts (ormolu) were added to objects at a later date. The turquoise glaze shown here was particularly popular in Europe, where it was known as bleu-celeste and favoured by upper class patrons including Marie Antoinette.
