Object Description
Chinese dragon-form cloisonné enamel candelabra
Chinese, early 20th Century
Height 31cm, width 16cm, depth 19cm
This unusual pair of candelabra, or candlesticks, is a superb example of Chinese decorative art. Each candlestick features a body formed from a mythical beast—half elephant, half dragon—with the candle stem rising from its back, culminating in a single candle holder above a drip pan. The surfaces throughout are profusely adorned with cloisonné enamel, the cloisons—set above a red-brown ground—wrought into a variety of forms, including cranes and scrolls. Each beast stands on a shaped hardwood base.