RICHARD COOKE

Height: 27cm (10.6in)
Total Weight: 1294g (41.6 oz)

This elegant pair of silver candlesticks were made in London in 1801 by the silversmith Richard Cooke, exemplifying the refined neoclassical taste of the late Georgian period. Each candlestick features a broad, circular base, a slender tapered stem and a fluted lower section, creating a harmonious balance of proportion and ornament. Their restrained symmetry and classical detailing reflect the influence of ancient Greek and Roman design that remained fashionable in British decorative arts at the turn of the nineteenth century. The candlesticks are cast and not weighted and they have survived in wonderful condition with their original fully hallmarked sconces.

Richard Cooke was an English silversmith working in London around the turn of the nineteenth century, a period when British silverware was strongly influenced by the neoclassical style. This fashion favoured balanced proportions, restrained ornament and decorative motifs inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art.

Cooke registered his maker’s mark in 1799 as a plateworker, and he is believed to have supplied some of the greatest London retailers, including Rundell, Bridge & Rundell and Jefferys, Jones and Gilbert.