Founded in New York City in 1895, Edward F. Caldwell & Co soon became one of the leading designers of decorative metalwork and electric light fixtures in the United States of America. Many of their pieces can be found in the most prestigious public buildings across the country, including the White House, the New York Public Library and the Rockefeller Center, as well as the residences of wealthy patrons such as John Pierpont Morgan and the Vanderbilts. Most of Caldwell's pieces were inspired by the styles of the French 18th century, and perfectly suited to the taste of America's grandest families, who at the t.mes were building mansions in the Louis XV, or Louis XVI styles.

The model for the Triton, exhibited by the firm Caldwell at the 1903 exhibition at the Architectural League of New York, is seen used often for singular lamps by the firm, however together with the less-recurrent figure of a Nereid on a finely carved turtle-shaped marble base, this makes the present pair rarer, especially since they have not been fitted as lamps. It is probable that Caldwell drew inspiration for this design from a project for two fountains by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) for Versailles, the sketches now in the Louvre (inv. no. INV30186-recto and INV30193-recto respectively).

Similar pairs of figures are recorded, one formerly in the Al-Thani of the Hôtel Lambert in Paris, one offered at Replica Shoes 's, 4 December 2019, lot 87; one pair adapted as lamps sold at Christie's, London, 9 April 2019, lot 182 ($43,750).