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

223 items · page 4 of 14

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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.

19th century

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Late C19 Chandelier

From Michael Holt Antiques

£1,100

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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19th Century Bronze Sixteen Light Chandelier

From Jake Wright Antiques Ltd.

£2,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

C1890-1920 Pair Wm. Tonks & Sons Candlesticks

1900 - 1920

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C1890-1920 Pair Wm. Tonks & Sons Candlesticks

From Lancaster Antiques

£110

3+ MONTHS AGO

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1860-1880 Pair Bronze Cherub Candlesticks on Marble Bases

19th century

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1860-1880 Pair Bronze Cherub Candlesticks on Marble Bases

From Lancaster Antiques

£625

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

1890-1910 a Pair of Double Arm Candlesticks

1900 - 1920

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1890-1910 a Pair of Double Arm Candlesticks

From Lancaster Antiques

£110

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

1900 - 1920

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Georgian Style Brass Chandelier

From Michael Holt Antiques

£1,300

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

A Wrought Iron Multi-candle Floor Candelabrum – Architectural Statement

1920 - 1940

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A Wrought Iron Multi-candle Floor Candelabrum – Architectural Statement

From Marlborough Antiques & Interiors

£645

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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Pair of Fine Quality Mid 19th Century French Régence Style Bronze & Gilt Bronze Three Branch Candelabra

From LVS Decorative Arts

£2,850

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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19th Century French Brass Candle Wall Sconce Candelabra

From Elmgarden

£750

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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Large Pair of Mid 19th Century Victorian Antique Quality Gilded Brass Candelabras

From Unique Antiques by Emma Jade

£595

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

The most expensive candelabra ever sold on Sellingantiques were a pair of English solid sterling silver five-light candelabra of neoclassical design, 58cm tall, in January 2023.

Pair of Louis XIV Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights

19th century

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Pair of Louis XIV Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights

From Arrowsmith Antiques & Interiors

£4,800

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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Exceptional Rare Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Bronze & Gilt-bronze Candelabra of Superb Quality, Signed ‘Rabiat’

From LVS Decorative Arts

£10,500

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

19th century

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Good Pair of 19th Century Gilt Bronze Candeabra

From Rams Head Antiques

£985

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

Pair of 19th Cent. Bronze & Onyx Candelabra, French, Circa 1880

19th century

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Pair of 19th Cent. Bronze & Onyx Candelabra, French, Circa 1880

From Judy Fox Antiques

£3,200

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

Set of Four Adam Style Three Arm Gilded Wall Sconces

1900 - 1920

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Set of Four Adam Style Three Arm Gilded Wall Sconces

From Georgian Antiques

£3,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

Antique French Brass and Tole Bouillotte Table Lamp

1900 - 1920

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Antique French Brass and Tole Bouillotte Table Lamp

From Marylebone Antiques

£650

3+ MONTHS AGO

lighting

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Antique Candelabra

Late C19 Chandelier

19th Century Bronze Sixteen Light Chandelier

C1890-1920 Pair Wm. Tonks & Sons Candlesticks

1860-1880 Pair Bronze Cherub Candlesticks on Marble Bases

1890-1910 a Pair of Double Arm Candlesticks

Georgian Style Brass Chandelier

A Wrought Iron Multi-candle Floor Candelabrum – Architectural Statement

Pair of Fine Quality Mid 19th Century French Régence Style Bronze & Gilt Bronze Three Branch Candelabra

19th Century French Brass Candle Wall Sconce Candelabra

Large Pair of Mid 19th Century Victorian Antique Quality Gilded Brass Candelabras

Pair of Louis XIV Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights

Exceptional Rare Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Bronze & Gilt-bronze Candelabra of Superb Quality, Signed ‘Rabiat’

Good Pair of 19th Century Gilt Bronze Candeabra

Pair of 19th Cent. Bronze & Onyx Candelabra, French, Circa 1880

Set of Four Adam Style Three Arm Gilded Wall Sconces

Antique French Brass and Tole Bouillotte Table Lamp

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