Antique Table Candleholders
These antique table candleholders bring steady candlelight to a room, formed in brass, sterling silver, and bronze across Georgian and Victorian periods.
Antique Table Candleholders
When searching for antique table candleholders, collectors encounter candlesticks, multi-branch candelabra, and table lustres designed to sit on dining tables, desks, and mantelpieces.
The most common examples on this page are brass and silver-plated pairs dating from the nineteenth century, alongside earlier Georgian brass designs and heavier bronze works.
Forms range from simple turned columns and ejector mechanisms to grander Corinthian columns, student lamps, and French gilt bronze candelabra.
Materials and construction methods
Metalworking techniques dictate how these pieces are constructed, with brass examples often cast, turned, or seamed together from component parts.
Silver and Old Sheffield plate items combine sheet metal over base cores or utilise solid sterling silver, frequently paired with weighted bases for stability.
Bronze and gilt bronze pieces rely on detailed casting and chasing, sometimes integrating glass drops or marble elements.
Antique Table Candleholders Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for table candleholders among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Among the formal columns and classical brass stands, a pair of standing terrier dogs holds candles ready for duty.
Judging quality and execution
Quality rests in the crispness of the casting, the weight of the metal, and the precision with which decorative details such as fluting or classical orders are rendered.
Better pieces retain original components like removable sconces, matched sets of branches, and clear hallmarks or maker stamps that confirm their origin.
Garrard & Co·Pierre Philippe Thomire·Hawksworth Eyre·James Fenton·Frederick J Smith & Co·John Cafe·Rabiat
The Antique Table Candleholders Glossary
- Sconce
- A removable pan or nozzle fitted to the top of a candlestick to catch dripping wax. It lifts out for easy cleaning.
- Old Sheffield Plate
- A method of fusing a thin layer of silver onto a copper base before forming the object. This technique predates modern electroplating.
- Ejector
- A built-in internal mechanism found in certain brass candlesticks that pushes out the remaining candle stub when a side lever is pressed.
- Candelabra
- A branched lighting fixture holding multiple candles on a single base. They often feature removable arms to convert into single candlesticks.
- Table Lustre
- An ornamental table piece hung with cut glass prisms that reflect candlelight. They became popular during the Victorian period.
Antique Table Candleholders: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean brass candleholders?
Wash them gently in warm soapy water with a soft cloth to remove surface dirt and old wax. Avoid harsh chemical polishes that strip away the aged surface character.
Dry the metal thoroughly afterwards to prevent spotting, taking care not to rub too vigorously on plated or gilt surfaces.
Are antique candlesticks usually sold in pairs?
Many surviving examples are offered as matched pairs because dining tables and mantelpieces traditionally required symmetrical arrangement.
Single candlesticks do appear from earlier periods, while larger multi-light candelabra were frequently manufactured as pairs for formal settings.
What is the difference between silver plate and sterling?
Sterling silver contains a legally defined high purity of silver throughout the entire object, usually verified by standard assay office hallmarks.
Silver plate applies a thin coating of silver over a base metal such as copper, brass, or Old Sheffield plate.
How do I date an old brass candlestick?
Construction marks provide key clues, such as seaming lines, casting irregularities, and the profile of the base and stem styles characteristic of Georgian or Victorian periods.
Telescopic shafts and patent mechanisms also help narrow down the decade of manufacture.