Antique Georgian Silverplate Candlesticks - Set of 2

The kind of find that always causes our hearts to skip a few beats, this majestic pair of Antique Georgian Silverplate Candlesticks are an exquisite specimen of what is now called Old Sheffield Plate. An exceptional market find with an impressive presence, this stunning quad dates from the late-18th century during the time that superior Old Sheffield Plate craftsmanship was at its artistic height.

Created during the first half of the 18th-century and used as a production technique until the 1840s, the term Old Sheffield Plate is not to be interchanged with Silver Plate, EPNS or even items marked "Sheffield" as those processes and manufacturing methods differ greatly from Old Sheffield Plate. Old Sheffield Plate, rather, was a technique by which a thick sheet of copper was rolled together with a thin sheet of silver under pressure until fully fused. These bonded or plated sheets were then fashioned by a silversmith into a finished item. 

More than two centuries of even the gentlest cleaning to the top silver layer of these wares eventually reveals a warm patina of base metal copper, known as "bleeding". Rather than detracting from the aesthetic of these antiquities, the effect creates a lovely contrast, intrinsic to and a telltale sign of, the authenticity of Old Sheffield Plate.

This pair of candlesticks carries all the lovely hallmarks that make Old Sheffield Plate so prized by collectors. In a classic neoclassical columns with square plinth pedestal base, these slender candle holders are adorned with a romantic garlands and exquisite detailing throughout.

Each of these candlesticks is a work of stunning British artisanship from the days of the American Revolution. Ideally suited for grand occasions or welcoming you home in grand fashion, they promise to become beloved treasures and a prized addition to your silver collection. 

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. Set of 2. In very good antique condition with areas of silver loss revealing the underlying copper as seen in the alternate images. Each candlestick measures 12.25"H x 5" x 5" at the base.