What is a pricket stand?

A pricket stand is a candle holder that uses a metal spike to hold the candle in place instead of a traditional socket. They were built for substantial wax candles used in churches and large homes. These pieces range from small table candlesticks to tall floor-standing torcheres made of carved wood or brass.

How do I date an antique candle stand?

Dating relies on examining the wood type, carving style, and the composition of the gesso and gilding layers. Seventeenth and eighteenth-century pieces show hand-tool marks and specific regional baroque carving traits. Later nineteenth-century revival items often copy these earlier motifs but utilise manufacturing methods and material treatments typical of their own era.

How do I style a torchere at home?

Torcheres and standard lamp stands work well as sculptural corner pieces or placed beside large pieces of period furniture. Their height draws the eye upward and adds vertical interest to a room. Some examples have been adapted to function as table or standard lamps while retaining their original carved wooden columns.