Candle stand
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1675 (and later)
Materials
Turned and ebonised wood, Coromandel lacquer
Measurements
98.4 x 46.2 x 43.4 cm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1139861.2
Summary
A torchère, from a pair. The octogonal top is veneered with Coromandel lacquer (incised Chinese lacquer), depicting an Oriental landscape, within a moulded frame, above a turned ebonised tripod stand, on three cabriole legs. These stands were probably originally made en suite with the table (NT 1139862 ) and the mirror (NT 1139863) circa 1675, their supports were replaced by the cabinet maker John Hele in 1741 for the 4th Earl of Dysart. Peter Thornton identified this set as the one listed in the 1679 inventory, in the Museum Room, and possibly the stands and table recorded in the Duchess's Bedchamber in 1677.
Provenance
Ham House’s inventories: possibly 1677 in the Duchess’s Bedchamber : “ one Indian table & StandsTable”; in the Museum Room in 1679:“ Stands, Cabinet, Looking glasse frame, all of Japan”. John Hele's Bill dated 19 February 1741/2 :"Two Neat Pillers & Claws for two Indian Tops of Stands Backt. & Varnisht & Polishd £1 2s 6d" (BPA). Acquired in 1948 by HM Government when Sir Lyonel, 4th Bt (1854 – 1952) and Sir Cecil Tollemache, 5th Bt (1886 – 1969) presented Ham House to the National Trust, and entrusted to the care of the Victoria & Albert Museum, until 1990, when returned to the care of the National Trust, and to which ownership was transferred in 2002.
References
Rowell 2013: Christopher Rowell (ed.), Ham House, 400 Years of Collecting and Patronage, Yale University Press, New Haven & London 2013, p.285 Thornton and Tomlin 1980 Peter Thornton, and Maurice Tomlin. “The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House.” Furniture History, The Journal of The Furniture History Society Vol.XVI, 1980, p.114