Designer: Charles Gwathmey (1938 – 2009) and Robert Siegel (born 1939)

Item: Courtney Swid Powell candlesticks by Gwathmey Siegel Associates Architects

Description: The Courtney candlesticks and bud vase by Gwathmey Siegel Associates Architects are two of the most iconic designs for Swid Powell, but are scarcely found. These, as well as the other Swid Powell silver-plate objects designed by Richard Meier, Robert A.M. Stern and Robert Venturi, were manufactured by the important firm Cleto Munari Company located in Vicenza, Italy. These were expensive items when they were originally retailed, and unlike some of the other Swid Powell designs, it does not appear that many were produced. This set retains the “Swid Powell Made in Italy” marks and “GS” signature on the underside of each.

These were so well designed that the architects made these easily disassembled for ease of polishing. The base is screwed to the middle candlestick piece using the four screws on the top so the piece comes apart in three easy to polish pieces.

These can be found in the collections of The Museum of Fine Art Houston, Dallas Art Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and other public collections.

Manufactured by: Cleto Munari for Swid Powell

Country of origin: Italy

Year made: Circ. 1985

Materials: Silverplate over brass

Dimensions: 3 ½” x 3 ¼”

Condition: Very good. Some very very minor tarnishing that can be polished out (highlighted by the flash from the photography) and some light scratches. The high definition photos show these very minor blemishes, but they are not noticeable in person.

References: Tapert, Annette. SWID POWELL: Objects by Architects, Rizzoli, 1990; O’Brien, Timothy and Walsh, Margo Grant, Collecting by Design, Silver & Metalwork of the Twentieth Century from the Margo Grant Walsh Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, 2008; Eisenman, Peter, Gwathmey Siegel: Buildings and Projects 1982 - 1992, Rizzoli, 1993.