18th century Italian gilded altar candlestick with a Chesapecten fossil shell formation and natural forming baroque pearls.

The 18th century Italian gilded fragment was originally an altar candlestick in a historical church in Italy.

The Chesapecten shell cluster was found from the banks of the James River and are usually 3 to 8 million years old. Fossilized marine life makes up parts of the shell cluster's matrix. They go through a meticulous cleaning and sealing process in order to protect and solidify the formations.

The Italian altar candlestick artifact is persevered and transformed into a work of historic and organic significance with the rare shell formation - interpreting the past to create a piece entirely original, evolving in its own right.

11.5" wide x 8" deep x 45.5" high