Sunburst Candlestick of Silver and Ebony

A sunburst of silver radiating from an ebony core, this candlestick is the design Spratling called "Fiesta," and it shows him bringing the contrast of pale metal against dark tropical wood, a hallmark of his 1950s holloware, into a sculptural lighting object. The silver dots and rays played against ebony are exactly the playful, sophisticated interplay Morrill identifies as central to Spratling's work of this period (Morrill, p. 73).

The candlestick carries an exhibition history: it was included in "The World of William Spratling," the museum show organized by John Leeper of the McNay Art Institute that traveled across the United States in 1965, where Spratling's silver objects, including candleholders, were shown alongside Pre-Columbian art from his own collection (Morrill, p. 77).

Worked in 980 silver under the joined "WS" mark he adapted from his horse brand (Morrill, p. 39), the "Fiesta" candlestick is a documented exhibition piece. Its named design, the silver-and-ebony pairing, and that exhibition record are what give it standing.