Pair of candlesticks, Germany, late 19th - early 20th century (ca. 1890-1910).

Pair of candlesticks, Germany, late 19th - early 20th century (ca. 1890-1910).
Sterling silver 830 and cut crystal.
With German crescent and crown punches, workshop mark and numbering.
In good condition.
Measurements: 31 x 12 cm.

Pair of one-light candlesticks made of high quality cut crystal, mounted with a complex structure and rich ornamentation in sterling silver. Each piece is articulated from a circular base of wide development, profusely decorated with vegetal reliefs, rockeries and small naturalistic elements, that serve as support to a sculptural set of great expressive force. Around the base of the shaft there are rounded child figures - putti - modeled with remarkable naturalism, integrated among garlands and organic motifs, providing dynamism, depth and a marked narrative character to the whole.

The central shaft, made of transparent cut and engraved glass, has a faceted truncated pyramidal profile, with incised decoration of classical taste. The quality of the glass, its transparency and the precision of the carving recall the Central European production of the late 19th century, where the technical excellence of the glass was often combined with richly worked silver mounts. This combination of noble materials reinforces the sumptuous character of the piece and underlines its representative function.

The upper area is topped with a richly chiseled silver cup, decorated with cartouches, scrolls and figurative scenes in relief, which formally dialogue with the sculptural program below. Above it is the candle holder plate with a wavy rim, completing the verticality and compositional balance of each candlestick. The ensemble shows a careful study of proportions, with a harmonious transition between the different materials and volumes.

From the stylistic point of view, the pair is fully within the German historicism of the late nineteenth century, characterized by the reinterpretation of baroque and rococo languages with a refined technique and exuberant ornamentation. This type of pieces was produced in specialized workshops for a bourgeois and aristocratic clientele, and in many cases they were export-oriented, forming part of highly decorative interiors.

The visible punches - crescent and crown - confirm their German origin and their manufacture after 1888, while the silver grade 830/1000 is characteristic of Germanic silverware of the period. The homogeneous wear of the silver, the natural patina and the quality of the sculptural modeling guarantee its authenticity and its condition of original period piece, not being a later reproduction. It is, in short, a pair of candlesticks of great artistic and technical quality, representative of the taste and craftsmanship excellence of Germany at the end of the century.