French silver Shafts depicting Egyptian female figures, topped by a vase shaped capital of palm leaves and flower friezes decoration. The hexagonal stand finely engraved with floral motifs resting on a gadrooned foot on three lion paws. The circular base of palm frieze decoration an the drip pans feature engraved MFT monogram Paris, 1803-1809, marked J.G.A. BOMPART and "1er Coq" "1er titre" PARIS (1798-1809), "Moyenne Garantie Paris", "Association des Orfèvres" hallmark, Elder's Head "1er titre, "Association des Orfèvres" (in very good condition) Dimensions 28,0 x 13,6 cm Medium 1140 g Notes Jacques-Gabriel BOMPART is a Paris goldsmith registered in 1803 and based at 20 Place Dauphine. His style was consolidated in the Empire period and developed a remarkable mastery of the iconographic language of the period, particularly well represented by a remarkable butterfly sugar bowl from the Hugot bequest or an exceptional silver-gilt jam preserved at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris (inv. 29291 and inv. 45814) Exhibitions Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, "40 and de la Fondation Hugot du Collège de France, Hommage à Hélène et Jean-Pierre Hugot donateurs du Musée des Arts Décoratifs" Musée des Artes Décoratifs, Paris, "Ils donnent : 10 ans de donations", 20 March 1979 – 13 July 1979 • Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, "À quoi ça sert ? Se reposer, se nourrir – Se nourrir : les services", Galerie d'études, 15 September 2006 - January 2008 This pair of candlesticks is similar to a gilt silver pair from the Russian Imperial collections by the goldsmith Pierre Paraud, now preserved in the Louvre Museum (inv. OA9875) as well as to a pair sold by Paraud's widow ca. 1813 and to another pair of candlesticks from the Artus collection, exhibited in 1900 at the Centennial Museum at the Paris Exposition Universelle The famous founder Claude Galle produced variants to this model in chiselled and gilt bronze, delivering a set to the Palais de Fontainebleau in 1804 , one pair being inventoried in the Empress's library at the Palais de l'Élysée in 1813. These candlesticks are a rare testimony of table silverware from the onset of the 1st Empire, in a style known as "Retour d'Égypte". This style only lasted for a short period, giving way to the "Political" Empire style, but demonstrated inventiveness and finesse of execution, a preamble to the official style that dominated the period. One of the characteristics of the period was the production of high quality objects such as Sèvres Egyptian table sets, silver and gold objects by Auguste, furniture, torches, inkwells, etc., by the most renowned contemporary cabinetmakers and bronzers. The refinement of these objects, corresponding to a renewal after the Revolution and the Directoire, was highly desired by Napoleon in order to quickly establish his regime as a continuity of past historical periods. Examples of goldsmithing from this brief period are rare, what makes this pair all the more precious.