While this candlestick lacks the glittering surface decoration of other examples (see M.73.5.123), it is nonetheless striking for its overall form, from its elegantly tapering base to its bulbous neck capped by a tulip-shaped socket. It is the last of these features that immediately distinguishes it as an example of the Ottoman decorative arts. A native Anatolian species, the tulip was widely cultivated in gardens and became a prominent feature of design in a variety of mediums, especially in textiles and ceramics (see M.2000.31 and M.2002.1.21).