A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted lacquered and painted lead vases mounted as three-light candelabra, circa 1780

This type of candelabra vase was usually made of coloured marble throughout the 18th century, particularly during the Neoclassical period. Decorated with flowers, most often lilies, the royal flower par excellence, these vases were primarily decorative and the colors of the bases could vary: green, red or white marble, malachite or lapis lazuli and sometimes feldspar.

Our pair of vases features the neoclassical decoration with naturalistic leaves and a bouquet of lilies, but the body is made of painted metal imitating marble. This technique keeps costs down, as marble is an expensive material, and allows identical pairs to be made with the same imitation veining.

For a pair of candelabra vases with a patinated bronze body, see Replica Shoes 's, Paris, 20 October 2005, lot 189, and Christie's, Paris, 19 March 2010, lot 357.