Pair of red and gold lacquered candlesticks decorated with stucco dragons facing each other. Two facing dragons symbolize ‘Happiness at Reunion’ (xi xianfeng). But these two items present a question. Were they meant toe be used as candlesticks? Chinese candles are cast on a stick which is far too thick to be inserted in the small apertures of the two bamboo rods on the top. Perhaps they were used to insert an incense stick? The dark saucers were, in any event, added much later for stability. The ‘candlesticks’ date from the Qing period (1644 – 1912) and came from Shanghai in 2009. Total height 20 cm.