Rare Pair of French Ormolu "Animal" Candelabra, By Thomier A Paris

Description

An Incredible Pair of French Ormolu “Animal” Candelabra, Signed Thomire A Paris. This monumental pair of six-light candelabra is signed Thomire & Cie à Paris on the gilt bronze base and dates to the mid-19th century. They were produced by the renowned bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751–1843) or his firm, which continued operating under his name after his retirement. Thomire, one of the most celebrated bronziers of the Empire period, was appointed Ciseleur de l’Empereur (Engraver to the Emperor) under Napoleon Bonaparte and collaborated with leading artisans such as Jean-André and Charles Percier. His works were commissioned for palaces including Fontainebleau, the Tuileries, and Versailles. Numerous examples of his oeuvre are held in major public collections such as the Louvre, the Château de Malmaison, and the Wallace Collection, attesting to the continued importance and high valuation of his production. The present pair demonstrates the firm’s command of classical forms and highly sculptural bronze work, executed using mercury gilding techniques with exceptional preservation. Each candelabrum rests on a plinth of polished black marble, above which rises an architectural gilt bronze base molded with lotus-leaf collars and a gadrooned mid-section. At each corner are seated animal figures rendered in full relief. These include a squirrel clutching a nut, a monkey crouched with one hand braced against the platform, and a bird of prey coiled by a snake—its wings half-raised and beak pointed forward in defensive posture. Above these, the baluster-form shaft is fluted and punctuated by three-dimensional masks, including stylized boar and dog heads with naturalistic fur texture. One register presents opposing heads of a hound and a snarling wolf or fox, separated by a palmette collar. Another section displays a pair of birds of prey—likely falcons—perched back-to-back beneath anthemion flourishes, their plumage and talons crisply chased. The upper tier is supported by a collar of acanthus and egg-and-dart motifs, culminating in six S-scroll candle arms terminating in drip pans and nozzles, each finely cast. Between these arms are mounted further animal figures, including standing squirrels and additional birds with coiled snakes wrapped around their legs. The detailing of the feathers, fur, and scales across all animal forms is finely modeled and remains in sharp relief under the original fire gilding. The overall construction references classical column architecture, with each register stacked in ascending symmetry and ornamented with motifs associated with Roman decorative vocabulary. The entire ormolu surface retains its original mercury gilding, with its characteristic matte and burnished finishes still vivid, particularly across the feathered and pelted textures. This pair of candelabra represents the opulent design principles of the French Empire and Neoclassical periods, incorporating symbolism of nature, power, and allegory into an architectural bronze format. The quality of modeling, richness of detail, and state of preservation are consistent with museum-held works by Thomire. Comparable signed examples appear in the Louvre, where his candelabra and mantel clocks feature similarly elaborate figural decoration. Given Thomire’s documented royal commissions and enduring legacy as one of the foremost decorative bronziers of his time, signed pieces such as these hold strong value on the market and historical importance within the canon of French decorative arts. France, Circa: 1870

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