A 2026 Guide by Sellingantiques
Quality Pair of Antique Regency Ornate Ormolu Four Arm Candelabra, 19th Century
Priced at £2,150 from London City Antiques
Before gas lighting, extra candles were the only way to brighten a large living space.
Look for early antique candelabra designed specifically as grand dining table centrepieces.
Wealthy households often kept several matching pairs to illuminate an entire gallery.
The number of branches grew as casting techniques improved through the eighteenth century.
Matthew Boulton produced impressive ormolu and silver examples in Birmingham during the late eighteenth century.
Paul Storr silver pieces are heavy and cast with thick classical motifs.
French makers like Pierre-Philippe Thomire dominated the Empire period with intricate gilded bronze designs.
Pair of Antique Victorian Quality Brass and Marble Candelabras, 1860
Priced at £675 from Unique Antiques by Emma Jade
The 2026 retail price guide for Antique Candelabra is drawn from a proprietary archive of over 1.1 million retail prices indexed by Sellingantiques since 2003. This guide relies exclusively on their own internal data; no external sources or auction records are used.
Analysing nearly 25 years of UK antique market history alongside current retail values, the data indicates that typical UK retail prices for Antique Candelabra range between £600 and £4,500. Entry-level prices generally fall under £600 and premium examples upwards of £4,500.
Removable branch sections are common on silver and plated versions to allow easier storage.
Check the central snuffer. It sits in the middle socket when not holding a candle.
Weighted bases stop these top-heavy structures from tipping over during a meal.
Pair of Antique Edwardian Quality Silver Plated Candelabras, 1900
Priced at £645 from London City Antiques
Early casting left rough seams that apprentices had to file smooth by hand.
Separate arms were pinned or soldered onto the main collar to create the spread.
Machine stamping in the nineteenth century allowed thinner metal parts to be assembled around pitch or resin cores.
"Many were designed to convert into a single candlestick by unscrewing the upper branch section."
"The heavy bases were often filled with pitch or wood to provide stability without using extra silver."
"Central flame finials act as a dust cover for the middle sconce when using fewer candles."
Based on almost 25 years of Sellingantiques UK antique market data, Antique Candelabra appeared 2402 times (out of 1,100,000 antiques) which gives it a rarity score of 62/100.
This score measures scarcity within the Sellingantiques archive only and is not a survey of the entire antiques market, so these statistics may not be indicative of the general availability of Antique Candelabra elsewhere.
Use a soft cloth and a mild silver polish. Abrasive cleaners strip the thin layer of silver right off the copper core.
Never dip them in liquid chemical baths. The fluids get trapped in the hollow sections and corrode the metal from the inside out.
That green residue is verdigris. It forms when the copper in the base alloy reacts with moisture or acids in old wax.
You can soften it with warm soapy water and a wooden toothpick. Avoid using a stiff brush because it scores the metal underneath.
Once clean, a small dab of microcrystalline wax stops the damp getting back to the surface.
Many dealers do wire them. The hollow stems make it quite straightforward to run a modern lighting cable up from the base.
You usually have to drill a small exit hole near the bottom edge. Some purists dislike this alteration, but it gives an unused piece a practical function on a sideboard.
Make sure an electrician does the actual wiring. Old metal conducts electricity, so the earthing has to be spot on.
A wobble often means the internal resin weighting has dried out and shifted. Sometimes the baize pad on the bottom has just worn unevenly.
Turn them over and look at the baseplate. If there is a central nut, tightening it gently might pull the whole structure back into line.
If the base is warped, a restorer can gently tap it flat using a hide mallet and a sandbag.
Please note: This Antique Candelabra guide and its associated pricing data are provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute formal financial, investment, or appraisal advice and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any commercial activity, purchasing, or sales decisions. Sellingantiques.co.uk accepts no liability for any actions taken in reliance on this information. Always consult with a qualified professional or independent appraiser.
