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This ornate, vintage piece is a Neoclassical-style cherub pedestal, likely a mid-20th-century lamp base or candlestick. Crafted from heavy cast metal with a rich gold-washed or antiqued brass finish, it exemplifies the "Hollywood Regency" aesthetic popular in the 1950s and 60s.
Key Features:
Figural Design: The centerpiece is a detailed "putto" or cherub figure in a dynamic pose, emerging from a bed of scrolling acanthus leaves.
Ornate Base: The circular pedestal features deep-relief floral and shell-like "rococo" motifs, providing a sturdy, weighted foundation.
Fluted Top: The figure supports a decorative, trumpet-shaped cup designed to hold either a large taper candle or, more likely, an electric socket assembly.
Condition: The finish shows a beautiful aged patina, with darker oxidation in the recessed details that highlights the intricate casting.
Potential Origin:
Pieces of this specific mold and weight were frequently produced by manufacturers like Accurate Casting Co. or imported from Italy during the mid-century period. It was often part of a "mantel set" or a larger table lamp that originally featured a glass globe or hanging crystal prisms.
Design: It features a figural "putto" or cherub holding a cornucopia-like fluted column.
Material & Finish: While it has the appearance of aged gold or bronze, similar vintage pieces from the mid-20th century were often made of cast metal with a gold-washed or brass finish.
Era & Style: Many comparable items date from the 1940s to the 1960s, reflecting the popular Hollywood Regency or Italian Neoclassical aesthetics of that period.
Similar Items for Comparison
Vintage 1960s Metal Cherub Lamp: A very similar form described as Art Nouveau or Mid-Century decor.
Hollywood Regency Cast Metal Lamp: Often featured adjustable heights and a heavy, gold-toned finish.
While it currently looks like a decorative figurine or candlestick, similar "cherub holding a cornucopia" designs were mass-produced in the mid-20th century specifically as Hollywood Regency-style table lamps. These often featured a glass globe or a standard lampshade at the top of the fluted column.
Evidence for it being a lamp base
Identical Designs: Many nearly identical vintage pieces from the 1940s and 50s are sold today as cast metal lamp bases.
Common Conversions: It was common for these lamps to be disassembled, or for the electrical components (sockets and cords) to be removed over time, leaving just the decorative base.
Physical Clues: Check the very top of the column and the bottom of the base. Many original lamps have a small hole in the base for a power cord and a threaded opening at the top where a light socket would have been screwed in.
If you will look at last picture I found one identical to this one & it is a lamp
They converted it to candle stand but it has the inside for a lamp. While I was cleaning it the top screws off then I realized it used to be a lamp. A lot of patina but still beautiful .
Material: These fixtures are typically crafted from cast metal, often finished with a bronze patina or a gold-washed gilt.
Design: The central figure is a cherub in a dynamic pose, integrated into a column that ends in a floral or leafy candle cup.
Base: The base is heavily detailed with scrollwork, acanthus leaves, or floral motifs.
Functionality: While it may appear to be a candlestick, similar pieces are frequently used as lamp bases
I have cleaned on it it still has some minor places where the wax has ran down in it in spots just needs a good detail cleaning. I just used some dawn and very light scrub brush on it.
It’s really pretty as a candle stand or try to convert it back to a lamp you would need the inside for it.
Livingcab-6