English 1786 Matthew Bolton Sterling Silver Convertible Candelabra Candlesticks

Description

Presented is a fabulous pair of English Georgian sterling silver/silverplate convertible candelabra. These candelabra were made by Matthew Bolton and date to 1786. Each candelabra consists of a central shaft, socle, and base that can be used on its own as a single candlestick, or with its three-light top consisting of two arms and a central socle. The single-candlestick bases are heavy gauge sterling silver, weighted for stability and to offset the weight of the arms. The tops are silverplate, though they match the bases so perfectly in style and fit in the socles so neatly that there's no doubt they are original, particularly since Matthew Bolton works in both sterling and silverplate. The candelabra are done in a beautiful ornate style, featuring lush foliate decoration throughout much of their surface. The arms are done in a twisting, offset style which is very elegant. The bobeches or wax drips are removable, for ease of cleaning, with further wax-catching plates beneath the two arms' socles. Each candelabra has a presentation inscription around the base, reading "New York Yacht Club Annuel Cruise August 1924 Special Prize for Yachts Not Eligible for 'The King's Cup.' Presented by Commodore Harold S. Vanderbilt Won by 'Sally Ann.'"
These candelabra are in good overall condition. The tops of the candelabra have had two arms removed from each, and three of the remaining four arms have solder reinforcements. One of the candelabra has an old solder repair to the socle of the central shaft as well. The central shafts of the candlesticks have a few minor dings here and there, but none of these are significant in our opinion and we have photographed the most notable. Please let our photos and videos guide your judgment.
We want our buyers to feel confident in their purchases and know exactly what they are purchasing, so we are including two videos, one video of each individual candelabra, letting the viewer see it in the round, in good light. Please click the video to watch it full size in high resolution.
Each base is stamped with the lion passant for sterling silver, the anchor mark for the city of Birmingham, the date letter O for 1786 and King George III's head duty mark.
Each candelabra measures about 21 1/4 inches tall and has an armspan of about 18 1/2 inches.
The total weight for the base portions is 3474 grams. The total weight for the pair is 5250 grams. Considering that the arms are silverplate and the bases are weighted, not all of this weight is sterling silver.
-jm
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