Late 19th-Century French Silvered-Glass Candlestick - 9½"

This late-19th-century mercury-glass candlestick has a sculptural baluster profile with a domed, scalloped foot and tiered lobes that catch the light. The silvering now shows an engaging interplay of bright, mirrorlike areas and softly clouded zones, with visible de-silvered patches and dark speckling adding depth and movement to the surface. The plain, slightly flared lip retains traces of candle wax, further underlining its history of use.

Verre mercurisé, often referred to as mercury glass or silvered glass, is a double-walled blown-glass technique developed in the mid-19th century, where a liquid silver-nitrate solution was introduced into the inner chamber to create a luminous, reflective skin. French workshops of the period used this method to produce table lighting and garnitures that echoed the richness of silver or pewter, here expressed in the bold gadrooning and elegant baluster form that still amplify candlelight beautifully despite the time-softened silvering.

This petite candlestick brings a gentle, atmospheric shimmer wherever it is placed - on a mantel beneath a mirror, on a bedside table beside books and flowers, or along a dining table layered with linen and crystal. Its distinctive antique patina dds texture and character, pairing easily with other mercury glass, gilt bronze, or antique frames for a quietly luminous vignette.