MARK OF PAUL STORR, LONDON, 1826

These monumental candelabra are very fine examples of the Rococo Revival style mastered by Paul Storr. The Rococo style which originated in Paris in the 1730s was inspired by natural forms and characterised by asymetrical silhouettes abd naturalistic ornaments consisting of shells and flowers. The style spread rapidly across Europe, and interest in it was revived in England in the early nineteenth century, when leading silversmiths of the day created works derived from the George II rococo style. A notable comparison can be drawn between the present candelabra and a six-branch candelabrum by Storr dated of 1835 with very similar branches, illustrated in N. M. Penzer, Paul Storr The Last of the Goldsmiths, London, 1954, p. 232-3, pl. LXXVII.

Storr worked at the beginning of his career in partnership with Rundell, Bridge and Rundell with whom he created magnificent objects for some of the most important collections of the day, including the Royal Collection. After dissolving his partnership with that firm, Storr worked independently for patrons including the Crown and Lord Spencer, creating pieces in a largely neo-classical style inspired by the antique. His rococo work is rarer and is distinguished here by the elegant proportions and the fine chasing of the candelabra.