Pair of 18th-Century French Giltwood Pricket Candlesticks - 19"

A handsome pair of 18th-century French ecclesiastical pricket candlesticks in giltwood, carved with baluster shafts adorned with acanthus leaves and ring moldings, rising to wide drip pans with iron prickets. Each rests on a tripod base with a drum plinth featuring a relief cartouche of an anchor, the Christian emblem of hope which may allude to maritime confraternities or saints. The gilding retains a warm burnish with traces of red bole visible at the high points, while the reverse is left plain, as was customary for altar pieces intended to be viewed from the front.

Today, they form an elegant, symmetrical statement on a console, mantel, or sideboard. Their luminous gilding pairs beautifully with painted paneling or stone, while the anchor motif introduces a subtle devotional or nautical note. They bring a sense of timeless harmony to both classical and contemporary interiors.