Search 0
43,337  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 35 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
GIFTS
35 ITEMS ADDED TODAY
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Antiques dealer?
Join as a Seller
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1214101
FOR SALE
£475
Email Phone
Save
Antique Metalware Early Lighting 18thc W. Iron Spring Action Tripod Base Rushlight Holder. Welsh C1770-90.
For sale by Mark Seabrook Antiques
for sale €556     $603
£475
Mark Seabrook Antiques

Mark Seabrook Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Apr 2020
Browse dealers 41 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in 17/18thc oak & country furniture, antique treen, early metalware & english pottery.
↓ Relevant Links
Id #SA1214101
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Antique Metalware Early Lighting 18thc W. Iron Spring Action Tripod Base Rushlight Holder. Welsh C1770-90.

18th century
Description

A well made late 18thc wrought iron rushlight holder.......a rushlight is a poor mans candle, formed by soaking the dried pith of the rush plant in tallow (animal fat)....for many centuries, rushlights were a common source of artificial light for "country" people throughout the British Isles....this fine example stands on a tripod base with penny bun feet and has a tapering stem and "filed" decoration....the rectangular jaws have a spring action and are held in place by a "D-hinge" leading down to a pointed thumbpiece....a lot of these features you can attribute to Caernarvonshire in North Wales....the rushlight is in very good condition with a fine patina.

Welsh. C1770-90.

Physical Dimensions
Height
29.8cm (11.73")
Width
14cm (5.51")
Depth
12.7cm (5.00")
Declaration

Mark Seabrook Antiques has dated this Wrought Iron Rushlight Holder to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1214101
Dealers Internal Reference
MS 8502
Dealers Notes

Payment can be made by Bank Transfer , all you will need are my Bank Details, which I will send you or off line by Credit / Debit card ,..... e-mail or telephone your card details (long card number, expiry date and three security digits on the reverse of the card) through to me and I will do the rest .

Please quote the Internal Reference Number to identify the item you are enquiring about....thank you.

Description
A well made late 18thc wrought iron rushlight holder.......
“
a rushlight is a poor mans candle, formed by soaking the dried pith of the rush plant in tallow (animal fat).
Mark Seabrook Antiques

...for many centuries, rushlights were a common source of artificial light for "country" people throughout the British Isles....this fine example stands on a tripod base with penny bun feet and has a tapering stem and "filed" decoration....the rectangular jaws have a spring action and are held in place by a "D-hinge" leading down to a pointed thumbpiece....a lot of these features you can attribute to Caernarvonshire in North Wales....the rushlight is in very good condition with a fine patina.

Welsh. C1770-90.

Height
29.8cm (11.73")
Width
14cm (5.51")
Depth
12.7cm (5.00")
Date of Manufacture

Mark Seabrook Antiques has dated this Wrought Iron Rushlight Holder to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1214101
Dealers Internal Ref
MS 8502
Mark Seabrook Antiques
Mark Seabrook Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Apr 2020

Specialising in 17/18thc oak & country furniture, antique treen, early metalware & english pottery.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Mark Seabrook Antiques Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base.
1 / 5
Archive I An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base.

Antique Metalware Early Lighting 18thc W. Iron Spring Action Tripod Base Rushlight Holder. Welsh C1770-90.

Archive II An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base. View II
Archive III An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base. View III
Archive IV An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base. View IV
Archive V An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Mark Seabrook Antiques

Mark Seabrook Antiques
Telephone 07770 721931
Location
Bedfordshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/wwwmarkseabrookcom
Verified Since Apr 2020
Items For Sale 41
Items Sold 1,048
Mark Seabrook Antiques
Mark Seabrook Antiques
Verified Since Apr 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/wwwmarkseabrookcom
Verified
Apr 2020
For Sale
41
Sold
1,048
An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base.
Antique Metalware Early Lighting 18thc W. Iron Spring Action Tripod Base Rushlight Holder. Welsh C1770-90.
Ref: SA1214101
An eighteenth-century hand-forged wrought iron rushlight holder with a spring-action clamp and a tripod base.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectCandle Holders & Lighting
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialWrought Iron
  • ColourDark Charcoal
  • MotifsTripod legs, Spring-action clamp, Hand-forged shaft
  • SizeH 29.8 cm (12 in) x W 14 cm (6 in) x D 12.7 cm (5 in)

This eighteenth-century Georgian rushlight holder is a domestic lighting appliance designed to burn rush stems soaked in animal tallow. Hand-forged from wrought iron, the piece displays a dark charcoal finish with a fine patina across its surfaces. The structural design incorporates a tapering, filed shaft rising from a three-legged tripod base terminating in penny bun feet. At the upper section, rectangular jaws operate via a spring-action mechanism secured by a D-hinge and an attached pointed thumbpiece. The dimensions measure 29.8 cm high, 14 cm wide, and 12.7 cm deep. In a contemporary home, this rustic farmhouse artefact serves as a decorative display piece suitable for placement on a mantelpiece or an accent table. The forged metal construction and compact footprint make it an appropriate item for collectors of early British lighting and historical metalware. Its traditional form and utilitarian origin reflect the domestic lighting practices of rural communities during the late Georgian period in Wales.

FAQs

A rushlight holder is a domestic lighting implement designed to secure dried rush stems soaked in animal fat or tallow. Widely utilized in British households during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, these holders offered an economical source of light prior to the widespread production of paraffin and affordable candles.

Eighteenth-century rushlight holders were individually forged by local blacksmiths using wrought iron. They typically feature hand-hammered shafts, counterweights or spring-action jaws to grip the rush, and stability bases formed from tripod legs or turned wooden blocks.

Authentic Georgian examples exhibit signs of hand-forging, such as slight asymmetry, visible hammer marks, and uneven iron surfaces. Original pieces feature dark, naturally aged iron with surface oxidisation or stable patina rather than modern uniform coatings.

Early metalware items function effectively as sculptural accents on wooden mantels, bookshelves, or sideboards. Modern interior designers frequently pair black iron antiques with natural timber, stone surfaces, or minimal backdrops to highlight their graphic silhouettes.

Wrought iron should be kept in a dry environment to prevent corrosion. Dusting with a soft cloth and occasionally applying a light coat of clear microcrystalline wax will protect the surface from moisture and preserve the natural historical patina.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories