A pair of Louis XV mid-18^th century French provincial silver candlesticks, Arras 1766/67 by Jean-Francois-Hippolite Legay (1738-1788, master 6^th June 1761)

The bases of shaped circular formed with moulded edges, leading to a ribbed section with domed well, the central columns with moulded knops and capitals with removable shaped sconces with cast and applied moulded rims. Each marked to inside of rim with date letter, crowned N, town mark and makers mark LG crowned. Each later marked to the base with second standard mark with départment 69 for Nord 1798-1809, jurisdiction of Lille. The sconces with later petite garantie mark only. (2)

Height – 26.8 cm / 10.5 inches

Weight – 790 grams / 25.4 ozt

Jean-Francois-Hippolite Legay, the son of Pierne-Francois Legay and Marie-Jospeh Leleu, who after his apprenticeship was received master for the town of Hesdin on the 6^th June 1761. He was granted authorisation to work in Arras on the 21^st January 1766 where in July 8^th he married an orphan named Marie-Henriette-Florice Nepveu with a dowery of some 4000 livres. A man with a troubled career and finances, an audit of his shop in 1788 finds buttons, buckles and marcasite jewellery, outnumbering the silver candlesticks or gilded copper, as well as a troublesome legal quarrel with the widow Joncque, a prominent Arras silversmithing family. His finances did not improve and on the 29^th September 1788 he and his wife surrendered their affects to his creditors, where upon he ceased is activity.

Mark: L'orfevrerie de la Jurande d'Arras, (1983), Nicole Cartier, page 264.

where lists a sugar sifter of 1769-70 and a fork of 1776-77.

Paire de Flambeau en argent, épogue Louis XVI, ville de province, Arras 1766-67, par Jean-Francois-Hippolite Legay (1738-1788, par 6^th Juin 1761)