Chine - Époque Kangxi (1661-1722) Pair of candelabra... Lot 43

Chine - Époque Kangxi (1661-1722) Pair of candelabra with "HOHOS" Porcelain: China, late 17th century Bronzes: France, Louis XV period Blue and white porcelain, gilded bronze H. 18 cm, W. 10 cm, D. 10 cm Drilled for electricity, some bobèches with an adaptor ring This pair of small two-light candelabra is in the form of two Hohos sitting on finely chiselled Bronze terraces with a naturalist decoration. Branch light arms support leafy pools and bobbins. Some slight traces would seem to come from an old cold polychromy in red and black lacquer, as can be seen on an almost similar pair (Fig. 1). This particular model of Hoho figurines is exhibited in several European museum institutions, including the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich (fig. 2), the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (a suite of four figurines, probably acquired around 1803 by King George IV, then Prince of Wales) (fig. 3), as well as the British Museum (for one copy) and the Victoria & Albert Museum (for an almost similar pair). In his Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen, John Ayers mentions that a number of similar figurines were found on board shipwrecks in the China Sea dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. A pair of candelabra featuring the same Hohos models, later, was recently presented by the Artcurial company (fig. 4).