17th Century French Bronze Baluster Socket Taper Candlesticks Circa 1640
Item History & Price
and our Intellectual Properties attorneys in Leeds & Paris. Please readall my terms of sale carefully!I request your understanding in case of delays due to:extremeweather, health, or computer problems.Elly BurdettThis pair is in France.The group photo is for scale.You are only bidding on the featuredpair.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 2different people in England & France. I’m an antiques dealer, & exhibitat UK antiques shows; my associate in France is an expat American historian ofEuropean Decorative Arts & guest museum curator, with 44 years of advancedexperience.In both countries, we are frequently visited bycurators, collectors, dealers & auctioneers who buy: if you are seriously interested in any auction or BIN listing, do not wait – they end because they selldirectly to visitors. Auction pieces will not be ended, IF they have abid.
eBay UK has very recently modified shippingconditions for professional sellers – from either country, the only way Ican conform is to list extended shipping times. If buyers are in a hurry toreceive purchases, please write – in many cases, antiques can be shipped within3 to 5 working days. Sincerely, ETBurdett
Dear friends & clients: We have more Fine Arts & Antiques than we canbegin to keep up with, as to eBay – at least 4, 000 period pieces. I have recently been ill – shipping delays wereunavoidable. Group photos will give you a slight idea of the depthof my collections, and Elly's inventory - keep watching this page. R.Josef
Update: An important technicaldetail! The shallow wax collector pan in at least one foot was created by itbeing hammered out from above, and then lathed smooth on top, rather thansimply being cast-in - I've never seen this before. Zoom in on photos 7 & 8(it's more obvious on one foot than the other) – there is a continuous band ofhammered parallel rings. If this pair does not sell, I will heat up & remove the solder from the shaft - it doesn't need to be there (and will take almost no time to clean off) - and the price will go up.
I recently had a discussion on thespecific definition of a taper-stick with one of the largest buyers at The Lear Collection auction (whoprobably owns the most important private collection of early copper alloycandlesticks in the US), and we both reached the same conclusion – that thereis no hard and fast definition of a taper-stick! I’ve beenliving in France for 25+ years, and have been to all five corners of thehexagon. This has permitted me to build up an extensive network of professionalcontacts, and also have more hands-on experience with Continental (especiallyFrench) lighting and metalwork than anyonein the US antiques trade. The point is that I’ve had the pleasure of handlingsome very exotic Continental lighting, and now own what is probably the largestprivate collection of pre-1800 lamps and related pieces in France. Myexperience extends to many candle or taper-sticks thathave never been listed on eBay, or offered for sale on the US market, includingthe flawless and unique pair of late Gothic German candelabra that sometimesappears in group photos (in my collection – not for sale).A relevant (but larger) example to this pair of taper-sticks canbe seen to the left in Figure 156 of page 107 of Old Domestic base-Metal Candlesticks (pub. 1978) by Ronald Michaelis – which is still the best technicalreference on base-metal lighting or brass. However, none are quite as refinedand diminutive as this extremely rare pair of taper-sticks. The socket openingsare only about half that of most 17th century French copper alloycandlesticks – 3/4" in diameter– and the maximum height is only 4 &1/2”. This pair just arrived from Nice, and is the only pair of early French taper-sticks I’ve ever seen – the shaftsare absolutely identical, but the feet are not (they were cast in different molds) – one is both larger andthicker. For an important discussion on differences in true pairs of early candlesticks, the only reliable commentary is in Michaelis (pages 34 & 35).His book is generically superior to thatof any other in print, and to date;in the 1970’s, he was the onlyauthor to get it right, as to the attribution of Nuremberg candlesticks – and, correctly question the time constraints placed on Heemskerks by others.However, his dating of Franco-Flemish candlesticks is not always accurate, andothers bear erroneous attributions – the 3 candlesticks in Figure 170, page116, are in fact all French, late 16th century, and not 1stquarter, 18th century.Michaelis addresses this form at the beginningof a chapter on post-1680 candlesticks – I know from very extensive experience that his dating on this particular Frenchtype is not accurate – that the shallow feet, round sockets, and complicatedring balusters with bladed knops are pre-1660 (and he erroneously notes them asDutch, and brass). The ‘stick with the smaller base is flawless – the other hasa highly unusual treatment for the problem of stripped threading – a hand-cutiron washer is under the foot, and the threaded end of the shaft has somesolder on it, to keep in it place. This is simple to reverse – heat up the endof the shaft to remove the solder, then use a strip of thin cloth (a cotton ragworks well) to fill the gap in the stripped threads.We primarily buy Continental, and mostly French antiques, buthave substantially expanded our horizons in Belgium, Holland, Germany and Italy, where we now purchase & trade with numerous collector/dealers. Wehave increased not only our buying, but also our reference libraries, and inseveral languages - I have a very extensive library on French and otherContinental lighting & metalwork, but the subjects are complicated.This is one of many pieces of early European Decorative arts we willbe offering, including quite a few from private collections - one alonecontained nearly 200 lamps – supplemented by summers of non-stop buying onthe road in Western Europe - do keep an eye on Elly’s eBay page/store.We are independently listed with theNew England AppraisersAssociation, for France orthe UK.Condition: as described above, and as-seen– otherwise with the usual surface wear one expects on pieces of this period.Please examine the photos closely – they are an integral part of thedescription. Note: Photos are high resolution – use magnification forviewing details. Please ask, if you wishmore.© R. JosefBurdett-Williamson Certified expert & appraiser, New England Appraisers Association.FoundingTrustee, NewBedford Museum of Glass.Heights – 4 & 1/2”” (11.5 cm.) & 4 & 1/4”(10.8 cm.): base widths – 3 & 1/2” (8.9 cm.) & 3 & 1/2” (8.2 cm.): socket opening - 3/4” (2 cm.). Total weight – 515 grams, not including packaging.Insuredmailing within France is 15 Euros; to the UK & EU is 25Euros – to North America is40 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 mailwithin 3 to 7 working days from clearance of payment: but request that buyers be understanding of delays due to illness, severe weather, or computer problems: this is strictly a small business, with noemployees! 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-free returns”policy does not apply to arbitrary whim, or unqualified opinion! Returns are accepted - if: there is a major problem with the age, condition ororigin of a piece as described; and this is confirmed by a qualified expert with professional credentials.Copyright violations, defamation, or attempts at fraud will be dealt with in a legal manner, in NorthAmerica, the UK, or France.Photographs of anyalleged damage are required - they are mandatory for insurance claims.What you pay for shippingis our actual cost – despite lowered fuel costs, international shipping is stupidlyexpensive - we have absolutely no control over rates – and even so, lose 4% to PayPal, and often absorb extra costs, such as double-boxing.International buyers – please inquire, as to mailing costs!Note:Our independent certifications withthe New England Appraisers Association (in both France & England) expedite Customsclearances, and prevent duties being incorrectly imposed on antiques conformingto the 100 years legal dateline, thus saving buyers 10% to 43% in relevant countries. From France, the postalsystem is fast, efficient, flexible, & based on weight; rates haverecently changed, but often remain less than those of the UK. Up to 2 kilos to North America costs 36Euros; up to 5 kilos to North America costs 53 Euros; up to 10 kilosis 100 Euros, & 20 kilos is 160 Euros – plus 1 Euro per 100 Euros insurance coverage, to a maximumof 1, 000 Euros. Buyers can lowercosts on grouped purchases, depending on the size of the parcel, &insurance coverage - several pieces in one parcel are usually lessexpensive, as to per-item shipping cost – but do ask first!From the UK - Royal Mail can only be used for internationalparcels under 2kilos; measuring less than 90 centimeters total, and with a maximum insurance value of £250 (a recent, &exceedingly dumb decision): FedEx or UPS shipping is largelyvolumetric – the cost of sending a 5-kilo parcel is only marginally higher than1 or 2 kilos – 5 kilos toNorth America can be as little as £50 - versus £28 to £32 for 1 kilo – depending on the size of the parcel, & insurance coverage. Buyers can usually lower shippingcosts on grouped purchases – but again, please ask first. Payments:PayPal, French or UK checks, or bank drafts, & all banktransfers accepted. We areobliged to accept PayPal, but prefer bank transfers, or UK or French checks -PayPal takes a 4% bite out of all transactions - including shipping costs.Please feel free to contact us for grouped rates, andcommissioned, or guided buying in France - including partial or completecontainers, with related services. For period furniture (which we also collect, buy & sell) & other bulk shipping from France to Western Europe &the UK, we can arrange low-cost transport (depending on destination) via bonded& insured shippers.My business associate is an expatriate American historian ofDecorative Arts, a published antiques editor & writer, guest curator, certified appraiser, & internationally respected authority in early glass, lighting, metalwork, sculpture, period furniture & other categories. He hasplaced pieces with French & US museums, including the Smithsonian, & assistsme with acquisitions, research & texts. You can buy from me, withconfidence in your purchases. We are separate and private, academic collectors, looking to defray the costs of advancing with our own collections. R. Josef is the only EuropeanDecorative Arts specialist for the NewEngland Appraisers Association residing in theEuropean Union, and is available for expertise or arbitration. We areindependently listed with the New EnglandAppraisers Association, forFrance or the UK – or see my professional contact details, as provided beneath eBayUK listings. ET BurdettDear buyers – apologies for the intrusive copyrightlines, but they are there because R. Josef is an extensively published expertwith ongoing academic & commercial commissions, including forthcoming books.Listings often contain original research & information that has notappeared before; several British & Continental eBay sellers have beenreported for plagiarizing formatting & texts. Theiraccounts were canceled – we fiercely protectour Intellectual Property rights – and in court, when necessary.
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