Antique Style Candle Holders
When you search for antique style candle holders, you find lighting equipment designed to support wax or tallow tapers in domestic interiors across centuries.
Antique Style Candle Holders
Antique style candle holders encompass objects designed to illuminate rooms, spanning forms such as candlesticks, multi-branched candelabra, wall sconces, chambersticks and torchere stands. The selection draws on periods ranging from the eighteenth century through the twentieth century, reflecting diverse historical revivals.
The most common examples encountered on this page are nineteenth-century pieces executed in styles like French Empire, Louis XVI and Rococo Revival. These items frequently appear as matched pairs intended for mantelpieces, sideboards and dining tables.
Makers and manufacturers utilised various regional aesthetics, yielding English silver and Mappin & Webb plate alongside Continental gilt bronze and porcelain creations from factories such as Nymphenburg and Volkstedt.
Materials and Techniques
Metalwork dominates the construction of these items, employing cast brass, gilt bronze, ormolu, silver plate and pewter. Founders shaped these metals through casting and chasing, often combining patinated bronze with bright gilded highlights to create textural contrast.
Ceramic and stone elements also appear frequently, incorporating hard paste porcelain, ironstone, white marble and fluorspar bodies. Artisans mounted these non-metal components with metal collars, drip pans and nozzles to secure the candle sockets.
Some nineteenth-century candlesticks doubled as temporary resting spots for pocket watches while gentlemen slept.
Craftsmanship and Detail
Quality in these objects is determined by the crispness of the casting and the depth of the subsequent hand-chasing. Superior examples display sharply defined foliate scrolls, figural anatomy and architectural enrichment without softness in the relief.
The choice of materials and the complexity of assembly further distinguish the range. Multi-branch candelabra with figural supports, combined bronze and marble bases, or signed work attributed to known designers demonstrate higher tiers of execution.
Archibald Knox·Mappin & Webb·Pierre Philippe Thomire·Birks·Volkstedt
The Antique Style Candle Holders Glossary
- Ormolu
- A technique of applying finely ground high-carat gold to a bronze base using mercury amalgamation. This produces a rich golden surface finish seen on decorative mounts.
- Candelabra
- A branched lighting fixture holding multiple candles on separate arms. They often feature a central stem flanked by symmetrical side branches.
- Pricket candlestick
- A candlestick featuring a sharp metal spike at the top rather than a socket. The base of the candle is pressed down onto this spike to hold it upright.
- Chamberstick
- A low portable candlestick fitted with a wide drip pan and a loop handle. These were carried around houses by hand before the widespread adoption of electric lighting.
- Spelter
- An alloy of zinc and lead used as a cheaper alternative to bronze or brass. It was frequently painted or electroplated to imitate superior metals.
Antique Style Candle Holders: Frequently Asked Questions
How were chambersticks used historically?
Chambersticks were portable lighting devices carried through hallways and up staircases in large homes during the evening. The wide saucer base collected melted wax and protected the bearer's hand from drips.
They typically included a small ring handle for a secure grip and occasionally featured a cone-shaped snuffer resting in the tray.
Can antique style candle holders take modern candles?
Many older candle holders accommodate standard modern taper candles, though sizing can vary due to historical manufacturing standards. Hand-poured or narrower taper candles often fit better in older sockets without needing modification.
For pieces with wider or irregular sockets, a small amount of beeswax adhesive helps secure the candle safely in an upright position.
How do you identify a French Empire style piece?
French Empire style items draw inspiration from ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian motifs following Napoleonic campaigns. You will see strong symmetry, classical figures, sphinxes, laurel wreaths and patinated bronze paired with bright ormolu.
The overall silhouette remains architectural, heavy and grounded, emphasising martial and imperial symbols.