How do I identify Louis XVI style?

Louis XVI style pieces display straight tapered legs, symmetrical neoclassical geometry, and restrained classical motifs like acanthus leaves and urns. Makers working in this tradition prioritised architectural order over the asymmetrical curves of earlier periods.

Are these lamps originally electrified?

Many nineteenth-century urn lamps and candelabra were originally designed for candles or oil and converted to electricity later. Converters often retained the original ormolu and marble bodies while adapting the internal fittings for modern use.

Alabaster is a soft, fine-grained stone, usually white or translucent, used extensively for decorative urns and lighting during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its natural translucency allows light to diffuse softly when formed into lamp bases.

How do I care for marble and ormolu?

Marble requires gentle cleaning with a soft cloth and neutral soap, avoiding acidic substances that etch the polished surface. Ormolu needs only light dusting, as abrasive cleaning agents strip away the historic mercury gilding.