PAIR OF TORCHES, BY THOMIRE-DUTERME, FOR THE CRYSTAL STAIRCASE, CHARLES X PERIOD in cut crystal and gilded and chased bronze. The columnar shaft, with a diamond-shaped motif with a frieze of roses and lanceolate petals at the base, rests on a circular base decorated with friezes of garlands of flowers and water leaves, the upper part with stylized crosses decorated with flowers (Missing a wick) A Charles X period pair of crystal and bronze candlesticks by Thomire-Duterme for the Escalier de Cristal 27,5 X 13 CM - 10,83 X 5,12 IN. - - The Escalier de Cristal, a Parisian firm created by Mrs. Desarnaud, née Marie Jeanne Rosalie Charpentier, in 1804, was famous during the Restoration for its furniture and objects in crystal mounted on bronze. Located at the Palais Royal, n° 162 and 163, it was taken over around 1847 by Lahoche and Boin, then Lahoche alone in 1852, Lahoche and Pannier in 1857 and finally Pannier Frères from 1890 to 1923. It is only towards the end of the reign of Louis Philippe that the house began to manufacture furniture of cabinet making and then took a great importance in this branch. Specialized in the copy of 18th century furniture, the quality and the execution of these pieces of furniture are such that sometimes they were taken for the originals, and their origin discovered during restorations, the dismantling having brought to light the stamp. The Escalier de Cristal also participated in the propagation of Japonism, under the influence of its "artistic director", Henry Pannier. Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1757-1843) received his master foundryman's diploma on May 18, 1772. He was the most important Parisian bronze worker of the last quarter of the 18th century and the first decades of the following century. He first worked for Pierre Gouthière, the king's chiseler and founder, then collaborated with Louis Prieur from the mid-1770s. He then became one of the official bronze workers of the royal factory of Sèvres, working on the bronze decoration of the great creations of the time. After the Revolution, he joined Antoine-François Duterme, a bronze merchant, at the depot on rue Taitbout n° 15 (1806-1808). The workshops on rue Boucherat n° 7 (1806-1817), store on rue du Fbg Poissonnière (1817), rue de la Chaussée d'Antin n° 51 (1843), rue Blanche n° 45 (1847). Thomire-Duterme and Co. successor of Mr. Lignereux, furniture merchant, street Taitbout n°41, give notice that as from the 1st nivôse the goodwill will be opened for their account, that they joined the factory of bronzes and gilding which held a long time the aforementioned Mr. Thomire, street Taitbout n°6, so that in the future the two houses will make only one. (newspaper of Paris n° 90 Friday 30 frimaire year XIII, S.629 or December 4, 1804, n°92 Sunday 2 nivôse year XIII, S, 645 or December 23, 1804). It is thus this association Pierre-Philippe Thomire and Antoine-François Duterme which marketed this clock. The Salon of 1806 was the first one in which they exhibited. They received several medals for bronzes at the industry fairs. Their production is one of the most important and considerable; becoming the greatest suppliers of bronzes of furnishing for the castles and imperial palates. At the same time, they worked for a rich French and foreign private clientele, including some of Napoleon's marshals.