Antique Style Candle Stand
An antique style candle stand brings practical candle lighting and display surfaces together in mahogany, oak, and gilt bronze.
Antique Style Candle Stand
An antique style candle stand encompasses small wooden tables and metal lighting supports designed to raise illumination or small objects above floor level. Buyers searching for an antique style candle stand encounter tripod tables, torchere plant stands, and occasional tables spanning the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras.
The wooden tripod table forms a large portion of the selection, often featuring a tilt top or inlaid satinwood and boxwood details on a slender pedestal. Alongside these tables sit metal lighting pieces, including brass and ormolu candelabra, gilt bronze candlesticks, and adjustable floor lamps originating from nineteenth and early twentieth century workshops.
Makers and designers referenced in the listings range from Archibald Knox to Pierre Philippe Thomire, alongside retailers such as Mappin & Webb and Garrard & Co. Materials vary from dense timbers like mahogany, walnut, and ebony to reflective metals including silver plate, pewter, and gilt bronze.
Evaluating standard and execution
The distinction between standard examples rests upon the crispness of carved details in wood and the precision of chasing in metal components. Ormolu and gilt bronze elements demonstrate varying depths of surface finish and weight in the cast metal.
Timber selection and the complexity of inlay work dictate the refinement of the smaller tables, where well-figured mahogany and delicate satinwood distinguish finer pieces from plain utilitarian versions.
Several tripod tables include tilt tops, originally designed so servants could fold the surfaces flat and stash them against the dining room walls.
Archibald Knox·Mappin & Webb·Nymphenburg·Pierre Philippe Thomire·Garrard & Co·Masons
The Antique Style Candle Stand Glossary
- Tilt top
- A table mechanism allowing the circular top to pivot vertically when not in use. This saves space in domestic interiors.
- Tripod table
- A small freestanding table supported by three legs radiating from a central pillar. They appeared frequently in mahogany and oak during the Georgian and Victorian periods.
- Ormolu
- Gilded bronze utilised for decorative mounts on furniture and for freestanding candelabra. It requires careful cleaning to preserve the gold layer.
- Torchere
- A tall stand designed to hold a candle or lamp. They are frequently carved from wood in styles referencing the Neoclassical and French Empire periods.
- Pricket candlestick
- A candlestick featuring an upright spike to secure a candle rather than a socket. These often reference seventeenth century church lighting designs.
Antique Style Candle Stand: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a candle stand used for?
These pieces served to elevate candles, lamps, or small decorative items to a convenient height for illumination or display within a room.
Today they function as small occasional tables for drinks or lamps alongside seating areas.
How do I identify a tripod table?
A tripod table rests upon a single central pillar supported by three distinct feet radiating outward near the floor.
Many examples feature a mechanism that tilts the wooden top flat against the column for storage.
What is the difference between ormolu and bronze?
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin used for casting structural and decorative items, while ormolu specifically refers to applied gold gilding on bronze.
Ormolu provides a bright metallic gold appearance rather than the darker patina of bare bronze.
Are these stands suitable for modern lighting?
Occasional tables and plant stands provide stable surfaces for contemporary table lamps and small reading lights.
Adjustable standards and candle holders can be integrated into interior schemes as decorative accents.