Four Swedish Rococo Pewter Candlesticks by Lars Lundwall, Jönköping, c. 1761–1782
Finding a pair of 18th-century Swedish pewter candlesticks is uncommon. Finding a complete set of four, all by the same maker and preserved together for more than two centuries, is exceptionally rare.
This elegant set was made by Lars Lundwall, pewter master in Jönköping between 1761 and 1782, and each candlestick bears his maker’s mark. The design is distinctly Swedish Rococo, with fixed drip pans, baluster-shaped stems decorated with twisted fluting, and gracefully contoured circular bases. Lundwall’s work is represented in Swedish museum collections and remains among the finest pewter produced in Småland during the late 18th century.
Unlike silver, pewter was intended for daily life. It furnished the homes of clergy, merchants, and prosperous farmers, developing a soft, luminous patina that only centuries of careful use can produce. Complete groups have become increasingly scarce, making surviving sets such as this particularly desirable.
Beautifully proportioned and remarkably intact, these four candlesticks are equally at home in a Gustavian interior or a contemporary setting, where their restrained elegance feels as relevant today as it did over 240 years ago.
Maker: Lars Lundwall, Jönköping (master 1761–1782)
Height: 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in)
Marked: Lars Lundwall, B, and town marks.
