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Lot Essay
These candelabra are closely related to a pair executed by Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) circa 1805 (ill. in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. I., p.336, fig. 5.3.3) they draw heavily on a design of circa 1800 by Charles Percier for the supports of a centre table now in the Musée du Louvre (ill. Ibid, p. 336, fig. 5.3.4). Further related examples attributed to the bronzier-ciseleur include a pair probably supplied to Czar Paul I for St. Michael Castle in St.Petersburg by the marchand-mercier Jérome Culot with whom Thomire is recorded to have worked extensively, in the nouveau cabinet de travail at Pavlovsk, St. Petersburg (Pavlovsk, Le Palais et le Parc, 1976, figs 176, 178 and 180).
Among the related examples attributed to Thomire sold at auction, a pair formerly in the Collection of M. Maxime Sciolette, former French ambassador to Brazil, was sold at Christie's, Paris, 23 June 2005, lot 367, while another example from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, was sold at Christie's, Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 39 (FF1,332,000 with premium). A further pair was supplied by the bronzier to the Mobilier Impérial, was formerly in the château de Saint-Cloud and is now in the Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d'Honneur, Hôtel de Salm, Paris (ill. in J.M. Humbert, et.al., Egyptomanie, 1994, p.286, no. 167).
Among the related examples attributed to Thomire sold at auction, a pair formerly in the Collection of M. Maxime Sciolette, former French ambassador to Brazil, was sold at Christie's, Paris, 23 June 2005, lot 367, while another example from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, was sold at Christie's, Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 39 (FF1,332,000 with premium). A further pair was supplied by the bronzier to the Mobilier Impérial, was formerly in the château de Saint-Cloud and is now in the Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d'Honneur, Hôtel de Salm, Paris (ill. in J.M. Humbert, et.al., Egyptomanie, 1994, p.286, no. 167).