Pair of Sphinxes Candelabra

A rare pair of Viennese candelabra by Joseph Danhauser dating from around 1815. Each modelled with a winged recumbent sphinx supporting a candle socket, on rectangular foliate decorated plinth.

Viennese furniture manufacturer Josef Ulrich Danhauser (1780-1829) whose clients included the Emperor Franz I and the Archduchess Sophie was pre-eminent in Viennese cabinet-making in the early 19th century. After studying sculpture at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste under Franz Anton Zauner, he founded the Etablissement für alle Gegenstände des Ameublements in 1804. One of the most innovative cabinet-makers in Vienna, his creations were not limited to furniture but included decorative sculpture and lighting fixtures. Having been granted a special manufacturing licence, Danhauser was able to integrate all crafts relating to interior decoration and execute them all on the same premises. His greatest innovation was the development of a special paste imitating bronze to decorate furniture and to produce small decorative items, such as these candelabra . Danhauser’s work is characterised by exceptional quality and innovation.