Vintage Gilt Metal Candlesticks with Petit Point Floral Bases, Near Pair

A pretty near pair of gilt metal candlesticks, each raised on three elegantly scrolled legs above a round base set with a panel of floral petit point under glass. The embroidery shows soft posies of pink roses, blue forget me nots and tiny green leaves on a pale cream ground, framed by a decorative black and gold border that gives a lovely crisp edge to all that delicate stitching.

Petit point, worked with tiny stitches on fine canvas, was hugely fashionable for dressing table pieces in the mid twentieth century, appearing on compacts, trinket boxes, mirrors and candlesticks, with Vienna especially famous for the craft. Pieces like these were often bought as souvenirs or wedding presents, and they carry a real sense of the feminine, romantic style of the 1950s and 60s.

Each candlestick measures 11 x 11 cm, a charming low height that suits a dressing table, bedside or a small dining table where you want candlelight without blocking the view across it. We describe them as a near pair, as there are small differences between the two, as you would expect from pieces of this kind. The candle cups have a few small dents, and the gilding has softened with age, but neither takes anything away from their charm.

They look beautiful with slim taper candles in soft sage, duck egg or blush pink, as in our photographs, and they bring a gentle cottagecore romance to a bedroom or guest room. Set them either side of a vintage mirror, add them to a summer supper table with garden roses, or tuck them onto a shelf among old books and china. They would make a lovely gift for anyone who loves needlework, florals or pretty vintage dressing table pieces.