Joseph Rodgers & Sons, Sheffield (UK), 1923, Candlesticks with winged putti and floral decorations

Joseph Rodgers & Sons, Sheffield (UK), 1923 Candlesticks with winged putti and floral decorations Silver and ivory, 21 cm high. This pair of candlesticks, made in 1923 in Sheffield by the renowned Joseph Rodgers & Sons workshop, represents an excellent example of the refined synthesis between precious metallurgy and carving art. The objects feature a slender and elegant structure, where the cold gleam of silver harmoniously blends with the warmth of ivory. The central part of the stem is entirely dedicated to complex carved ivory decoration, animated by finely sculpted putti figures that seem to emerge from an intertwining of vegetal and floral motifs. These little winged cherubs, rendered with extreme plastic softness, support a smooth central shield, framed by volutes and acanthus leaves, which gives the ensemble a dynamism typical of the late 19th-century Neo-Baroque taste. It is interesting to note that, although the silver parts were made in the 1920s of the last century, the ivory parts were likely made in the 19th century. At the base of each candlestick, the silver surface bears the object's history through a series of hallmarks that certify its authenticity and origin. The distinctive symbols of the workshop are clearly visible: the star and the Maltese cross alongside the initials JR, the trademark of Joseph Rodgers, a company founded in 1682 and renowned for the superior quality of its production. Alongside these, the crown identifies Sheffield as the assay office, while the passant lion, mistakenly sometimes confused with the Britannia figure but here a symbol of metal purity, assures the national standard of sterling silver. Finally, the lowercase italic letter 'f' precisely indicates the year 1923. Historically, these artifacts are placed in a period of great ferment for British decorative arts, straddling the solidity of the Victorian tradition and new aesthetic demands. Joseph Rodgers & Sons, operating in the industrial heart of Sheffield and boasting a prestigious London showroom, successfully interpreted the desire for luxury of the late 19th-century bourgeoisie. In these candlesticks, late-Victorian eclecticism is expressed through the fusion of precious materials and the evocation of classical and Renaissance themes, reinterpreted with a sensitivity that foreshadows the ornamental complexity of the new century. These were objects that not only served a functional purpose but also acted as true symbols of status and taste in the drawing rooms of the era.