Why are candelabra nearly always sold in pairs?

Pairs were how they were used. Two matching pieces flanking a mirror, a clock or the centre of a table gave the symmetry that 18th and 19th-century interiors were arranged around. The archive follows suit: 398 of 629 titles say pair, and singles are the exception. Sets of three and four appear occasionally, and a garniture sits among the dearer entries.

What does ormolu actually mean on these listings?

Gilded bronze or brass. It's the commonest quality word in the category, appearing in 108 titles. Many dealers use ormolu and gilt bronze to mean the same thing, and both cluster on French work. Patinated bronze, dark or chemically coloured, often turns up combined with gilt parts on the same piece.

How many branches do they usually have?

Three is the commonest stated count in the titles here. Beyond that the range is wide. Twin-light pairs sit at the small end, and counts run through four, five, six and seven up to nine, ten and twelve-arm examples, each appearing once, with a sixteen-light chandelier at the top.

Are figural candelabra a separate thing?

They're a visible minority within the category, and they concentrate at the top of the range. Cherubs and blackamoors are the two recurring types. The animal supports are broader than you'd expect. Elephants, an owl, a stork with a snake, a greyhound, whippets, a parrot, a winged dragon, monkeys, gilded fish, stags and a merman all appear.

Which countries do these come from?

France dominates, named in 206 titles, followed by English brass and plate. Italian and Venetian work accounts for much of the carved figural end. Other origins are thin on the ground: one Belgian zinc planter form, one Flemish gothic chandelier, one Scandinavian pair, one Spanish gilded pair, and a Judaica Sabbath candelabrum placed at about 1750.

How often do candelabra come up for sale?

Around 71 listings reach Sellingantiques in a year, spread across 179 dealers. The average dealer has handled well under one. So the category turns over steadily rather than in volume, and the mix shifts. Wall sconces and wall lights, a small slice of the archive, make up a larger share of current stock.

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Antique Candelabra

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A candelabrum is a standing candle holder with two or more branches, made for altar and table lighting and, from the 17th century on, for brighter domestic rooms.