Pair of Empire bronze and ormolu candlesticks by Claude Galle

A fine pair of Directoire period bronze and ormolu candlesticks attributed to Claude Galle (1757-1815); the tapering bronze stem decorated with ormolu stars and terminating in lion paw feet sitting on a circular base decorated with a stylised folliage border. One sconce replaced.

The son of a poultry farmer, Claude Galle rose beyond his humble origin to become an important bronze caster and gilder at the end of the Eighteenth Century. He supplied many pieces of gilt-bronze including candlesticks, furniture mounts and clocks for the royal palaces of Fontainebleau, Versailles, Saint Cloud and Compiegne.

This pair of candlesticks are identical to two identical pairs that Claude Galle supplied to the Palace of Fontainebleau between 1804 and 1805.