A pair of altar pricket-candlesticks

A pair of altar pricket-candlesticks

The chased candlestick of circular outline, raised on three quadrilateral volute and foliate feet applied with reducing beadwork resting on a scroll on top, each side of the triangular base with shallow fields decorated with acanthus leaves, the feet connected by stretchers behind a hidden tassel-like motif, the upper scrolls of the volutes issuing floral festoons. The tripartite stem is constructed of three consecutive elements: a bell-shape, vase-shape and a baluster; the convex bottom rim of the bell shape is decorated with alternating wide and narrow gadroons, above which are two layers of acanthus leaves on a stamped ground. The bell and vase are divided by a multiple profiled connecting piece, whereby the vase is split in an lower and upper part, decorated conformingly. The baluster above is nearly totally mounted in scrolling acanthus leaves between waisted profiled sections decorated with gadrooning between. The large cup-shaped sockets are equally decorated with acanthus leaves on an etched ground. At the centre is a tapering pin for the candle. All applied parts of the candlesticks are cast. Above the bell shape the stem can be unscrewed.

The present pair of Roman-catholic altar-candlesticks must have been part of a series of at least four; one other identical pair is in de collection of the Rijksmuseum, inv. n° BK-16091-A/B.

© Collection Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. n° BK-16091-A, one of a pair

From the 18th century onwards German immigrants formed a large part of the goldsmiths-community in Amsterdam. In the early years one of the most prominent was Christiaan Warenberg (or Warmberger), a specialist in French inspired models with a certain German flavour.

Christiaan Warenberg

Christiaan Warenberg was born in Augsburg in 1676,  the son of Erhardt, a silversmith, and his wife Anna Maria Ment. Twenty years later, in 1696, he became a poorter (i.e. citizen) of Amsterdam and entered his mark in the guild there. He was married to Anna Jonston (date unrecorded), and a second time in 1707 to Alida Soetemans, with whom he lived at Kalverstraat.

Warenberg became a prolific and productive service maker of mainly large work, a.o. cast and chased candlesticks, braziers and religious works. He used two marks: one for his profane output, CW in an oval, the other for his religious works, KW in oval below a crown (Citroen 640, p. 125). The present candlesticks bear the mark CW, from which we may conclude that these candlesticks were commissioned by a well-to-do Amsterdam client. Outspoken designs by Warenberg can be found in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, a.o. a coffee urn with three taps, dated 1717 (inv. n° BK-NM-12307-A). More restrained examples of his work were made in 1726 for the Lutheran community in Amsterdam, as can be seen in the Luther-museum at Nieuwe Keizersgracht 570 in Amsterdam.