A silver candelabrum of Augustan date, 1st decade B.C. - 1st decade A.D.Multi-part candelabrum of exceptional quality and extreme rarity. Assembled and dismountable from the following individual parts: 1) Solid cast foot with sheet metal appliqués. 2) Lower column shaft made of silver sheet. 3) Upper column shaft with capital of silver sheet. 4) Top made of silver sheet in the shape of a goblet with a base for an oil lamp. 5) Loose pin for fixing.The base gives stability to the candelabrum with the hollow worked tops. Three solidly cast predatory cat's paws are brought together towards the centre and attached to a central cylindrical tube of strong silver plate. The artistic quality of the naturalistically shaped paws is extraordinary and precisely reproduces the anatomical characteristics down to the smallest detail. The pads under the toes, the claws and the tendons on the surface of the paws are meticulously worked out on the surface and finely and richly modelled in nuances. The fur is lovingly rendered by line punches at extremely even, small intervals. The paws shaped in this way and the dynamic curvature of the legs above them evoke the association of a big cat bursting with strength and ready to pounce. Towards the centre, the upper and lower legs are covered by leaves with a finely nuanced internal structure that are also extremely naturalistic in design. In the spaces between the feet three well-shaped sheet metal palmettes with openwork. Directly below the mouth of the central sheet metal cylinder a cuff with leaf decoration running all around. The cuff, the inside of the leaves and the palmettes are gilded. The central sheet metal cylinder covered at the bottom with a cap profiled at the rim, on the underside of which the name "VITVS OPTIMVS" is strongly incised.Opposite several weaker incisions, possibly to be interpreted as weight indications.Width from paw to paw approx. 29 cm. Weight 2.22 kg.The second piece is a precisely formed column with spirally running fluting delimited by incised lines just before the smooth, upper rim. In the upper rim two holes for fixing the following attachment with a pin. This pin is attached with a silver chain to a leaf-shaped fitting soldered to the body of the column. A vertical seam shows where the silver sheet bent to the tube or the column shaft has been welded. The lower edge is also smooth, separated from the fluting by a fine step. There again two holes, the position of which corresponds with the upper ones. A further sheet metal tube is inserted and soldered at the bottom, which disappears completely when the base and the column are plugged together, but guarantees the stability of the inserted column. In the edge of the sleeve below the mouth of the sheet metal cylinder in the foot, likewise two holes through which a pin can be passed through the column insert and sheet metal cylinder in the foot, giving additional stability. Height of the lower column shaft 38.7 cm. Weight 316 g.The lower part of the upper column shaft is constructed similarly to the lower one. Above the two holes for fixing to the lower column shaft an additional profiled, gilded collar. The column itself this time with vertical fluting. The top is again finished with a similar cuff and above it with a finely worked and well-proportioned Corinthian capital, which is also made of chased sheet metal parts. Above a rectangular plate with slightly retracted sides, in the centre of which is a narrow sheet metal cylinder with two holes, which serves to hold and fix the last part, the "goblet" with a stand for the oil lamp. Height of this segment 66.5 cm. Weight 650 g.The goblet at the bottom with a stem that merges into a base profiled at the rim. The underside covered by a metal sheet with a central hole through which the metal cylinder on the Corinthian capital can be inserted. In the stem two holes, for securing the goblet with a pin. The body of the cup divided into two decorative zones. At the bottom, vertically running, curved tongues, strikingly chiselled at the borders. Above a gilded frieze with a wave tendril. In the wave valleys and peaks blossoms on branching tendrils. Finer tendrils and leaves fill the spaces in between. The upper platform with a plate-like depression. The platform divided into zones by rotary grooves, the outermost of which is decorated with floral incised decoration and circle punches on the outer rim. The wide horizontal rim bordered by two strong pearl circles, in the gilded band between them again a wavy vine with leaves and blossoms. A lesbian kymation on the vertically downward overhanging lip of the rim. Height 14.1 cm. Diameter 15.7 cm. Weight 389 g.The wavy tendrils on the rim and the upper decorative zone of the "vessel body" have exact counterparts in works of art of the Augustan age, such as the Ara Pacis in Rome, or other silverware of the same period, such as the Hildesheim treasure or the Boscoreale hoard. There is no doubt that the candelabrum may be regarded as a cleverly constructed and artistically representative masterpiece of the Augustan classicism. Comparable candelabrum forms made of bronze, although not as perfect and not dismountable to the same extent, come from Pompeii. The basic idea of a dismountable candelabrum with a similar goblet and a capital can still be found in the middle of the 4th century in the treasure find from Kaiseraugst, but there it is clearly decorated with elements of late Antiquity.The height of the assembled candelabrum is 114.5 cm. The total weight is 3.58 kg. Of the original two loose, unattached pins for the final securing of the fixed individual parts, only one has survived.An analysis of the alloy based on three material samples by the Sensotec laboratory concludes that the composition of the alloy matches the known and documented values of contemporaneous silver objects.A spectacular object of perfect Roman craftsmanship, with dark, sometimes slightly spotty patina and isolated delicate incrustations. Apart from a minor dent in the upper column shaft and slight wear to the gilding in almost perfect condition.Provenance: South German private collection, acquired from a German collection, family-owned there since the 1970s.Condition: I