Royal: a set of four German silver candlesticks, Conrad Hermann Mundt, Hanover, 1726

These candlesticks formed part the Second Service of the Hanoverian Court, as recorded in the 1728 inventory.  This service was engraved with palm leaves enclosing the armorials used between 1692, when George I's father was created first Elector of Hanover, and 1708, when George himself was introduced to the College of Electors. The initials, GLC, stand for George Louis Churfürst. 

Although out of date, these arms were engraved on new pieces added to the Second service after October, 1724, when George I ordered it and the first service extended. The whole order took several years to deliver, came to 12,200 Taler and was divided between the Court Goldsmiths Diester and Mundt, with the engraving done by Eland and Esau. 

Called Service E in the 1745 inventory, these pieces were evacuated with the rest of the Hanoverian silver during the Napoleonic Wars. When Victoria succeeded to the throne of Great Britain, they passed with the Hanoverian treasures to her uncle, Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, now King of Hanover. When Bismark forced the Hanoverian Royal Family into exile in 1866, the silver followed them to Austria. In 1924, part of the silver, including these candlesticks, was sold through the Viennese dealer Gluckselig.

Eight candlesticks matching these, by Mundt (6) and Diester (2), are in the Museum of Replica Handbags s, Boston. Another twelve, also by Mundt (8) and Alexander Heinrich Diester (4), were sold Replica Shoes 's, Geneva, 16 November 1992, lot 231. These were numbered up to 59, suggesting an total group of at least 60 candlesticks.