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Directors Choice – The Medlycott Candlesticks
This week’s Director’s Choice focuses on a wonderful set of four rococo candlesticks. The early 18th century designs such as those of Bérain’s (as seen below) influenced and reflected the type of ornament that was associated with the patron’s candlesticks.
Here with Medlycott’s candlesticks the iconography is clear, a series of allusions to Venus the goddess of love with shells, water and scales all references to her. The Cafes, both John and William were candlestick specialists, taught by James Gould another specialist and from a long line of candlestick makers that started with Joseph Bird at the end of the 17th century. Their production was prolific and continued until 1757. The Medlycott candlesticks however, are so far removed from anything else that I have seen by the Cafes in the past, that I wonder if they were executed by another goldsmith such as James Shruder or perhaps John Jacob and then retailed by John Café who would have been approached by Thomas Medlycott because of their reputation.
There is a pair of candlesticks in the Ashmolean Museums that demonstrate a similar mindset of the goldsmith that date to 1740 that bear the touch mark of John Jacob.
Here with Medlycott’s candlesticks the iconography is clear, a series of allusions to Venus the goddess of love with shells, water and scales all references to her. The Cafes, both John and William were candlestick specialists, taught by James Gould another specialist and from a long line of candlestick makers that started with Joseph Bird at the end of the 17th century. Their production was prolific and continued until 1757. The Medlycott candlesticks however, are so far removed from anything else that I have seen by the Cafes in the past, that I wonder if they were executed by another goldsmith such as James Shruder or perhaps John Jacob and then retailed by John Café who would have been approached by Thomas Medlycott because of their reputation.
There is a pair of candlesticks in the Ashmolean Museums that demonstrate a similar mindset of the goldsmith that date to 1740 that bear the touch mark of John Jacob.
