Old Brass candle

Anyone know the story of this old beauty solid brass and the dating ? I'm still researching and try to find the story and history .
Brvce

 

If those things swivel back and forth, I'm almost certain that this is a piano sconce - originally, they were screwed onto the front panels of upright pianos (one on each side of the music stand) to provide light for the pianist so that he could see the keys and read the sheet-music at the same time.

If it is, then it would date from the early 1800s up to about 1910. Once gas and electric lights started becoming common, these things died out really fast.

Somethin' like this:



That said, not all pianos pre-1900 had these. Some did, some didn't. My old piano-teacher has a huge, German upright that's about 5'6" high made by one of the most famous German manufacturers of the early 1900s. She said it dated to about 1910. It had original ivory keys and everything - but no sconces.

 

This sconce is French because of the the word "déposé" on the back. Déposé on French items is their equivalent to our copyright, meaning it is registered. If the word was "deponiert," it would be German registered, copyright. I can't read any of the other words on the back. Can you tell us what they are or post a clearer/larger close-up pic of the back?

--- Susan

 

Here is the best I could do with the pic of the back in trying to make out the writing. I took the liberty of cropping, zooming in, clarifying, adjusting the brightness and contrast, and inverting the colors in hopes of reading the word on the left, opposite déposé. It didn't help me. I suspect the word on the right might be the foundry name or mark. There is also the number "12" on the back. Hopefully someone else may be able to make out the word.

--- Susan

 

Very interesting story and a brief history . Every antique has its own history .

 

I suspect they are bronze not brass.