D2325. Pair of Blue and White Candlesticks

There are many types of candlesticks, as they were the primary source of light in all households for hundreds of years. Originally, a candlestick was simply a cup or spike which held the candle upright and caught the dripping wax as it melted to protect the surface that the candle was upon. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries candlesticks became much more commonly used as the French style of eating later in the evening was adapted across Europe. The changing dining habits created a greater demand for ornamental candlesticks for their aesthetic appeal on the dinner table as well as their functionality. Candlesticks and candelabra designed in silver became especially desirable. Designed with height and grandeur, the lavish silverware were showpieces on the center of the table and equally served an important practical use.

Silver is a precious metal, which distinguishes it from wood, glass and porcelain, which do not have any inherent value. While silver coins could be melted down for utilitarian and decorative objects, the precious metal was not invulnerable to a changing economy. Silver was subject to the numerous fiscal crises of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, especially in France. France’s involvement in expensive wars forced both Louis XIV and Louis XV to order all available silver (including the silver furniture at Versailles) to be melted down to replenish the country’s coffers. In the process, the royal silver service was replaced with a Chinese porcelain blue and white service. The melting of silver from grand houses encouraged the French faience industry to increase the production of both ornamental and functional pieces, worthy of royal and aristocratic tables. In their sudden need for silver substitutes, the marchands merciers had to reach beyond the local factories to potters in other parts of Europe, and particularly in the nearby Netherlands.