W. A. S. Benson – Pair of Arts & Crafts Copper and Brass Candlesticks
£1,250 / set
These Arts & Crafts copper and brass candlesticks were designed and produced by W. A. S. Benson around 1900, reflecting his mature command of proportion and material integrity. Working within the Arts & Crafts movement (1880 – 1910), Benson sought to reconcile machine precision with hand-finishing, creating domestic metalwork that combined functional clarity with quiet elegance.
Each candlestick stands on a stepped square copper base that rises through a slender faceted stem to a shallow drip tray and plain socket. The interplay of copper and brass provides a restrained tonal contrast, while the geometric form reveals Benson’s architectural sensitivity to balance and light. His metalwork exemplified a philosophy in which structure itself became ornament.
Such candlesticks were retailed through his London workshop and Liberty & Co., contributing to Benson’s reputation as a leading figure in late nineteenth-century British design reform. The pair retains its original finish, showing subtle oxidation and surface toning consistent with age.
Width: 4.53 in (11.5 cm)
Depth: 4.53 in (11.5 cm)
1900-1909
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