Pair of Candelabra

John Blades (retailer, London)
Pair of candelabra, c. 1803
Ormolu (gilded brass), lead glass
On loan from Department of Parks, City of New York

This pair of candelabra was not merely one of the most opulent purchases made by States Dyckman, for whom Boscobel was originally built, they are among the most opulent lighting fixtures known to have been imported to the United States at the time. They represent the epitome of luxury and refinement available in London at the time, as well as Dyckman’s proclivity for overspending. Not only were the fixtures themselves an extravagance, but they suggest that he expected to entertain in a manner befitting their splendor.