Candlestick, North Europe 12th-13th century?

This splendid candlestick depicts an armed warrior with the body of a bird and the tail of a mermaid.

Between the 12th and 13th centuries monsters of all kinds animated objects of common or liturgical use (such as aquamanilia). Our candlestick can be stylistically compared with the one in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Medieval and Renaissance, room 8, accession number M.50-1955), of the 12th-century Lorenese provenance.

Without scientific examinations, now indispensable for dating artifacts of such age and rarity, it is impossibile to confirm the dating of this object.

The style and patina of this bronze are faultless.