Vietnamese Liturgical Candle Stick, on Footed Triangular Base

Paint worn down to the color of old cream.

Craftsmen working in French Indochina, in present-day Vietnam, Southeast Asia, made this liturgical candlestick in wood in the 19th century. Tall floor-standing candlesticks like this were commonly used in church settings. The shaft is turned in stacked forms: a cup at the top, a slim baluster, a ball, and a fluted urn above a plain drum. Traces of cream paint, pink and gilt show across it. A dark triangular base rests on three small ball feet.

About 28 inches tall. A quiet sentry for a corner.