Classic Candle Holders
Classic candle holders bring period light into a room, offering enduring forms in brass, silver plate, and bronze.
Classic Candle Holders
Classic candle holders encompass a range of lighting forms, with brass candlesticks and multi-armed silver plated candelabras appearing most frequently across Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods.
The selection spans simple domestic pieces from the eighteenth century to ornate French Empire and Italian designs intended for formal rooms.
Materials and construction
Many examples are cast or turned in solid brass and bronze, sometimes utilising seamed construction methods or fitted bases.
Silver plating and sterling silver are applied over base metals, while select pieces combine mahogany wood with brass mounts or incorporate green marble elements.
Classic Candle Holders Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for classic candle holders 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.
Seamed brass ejector sticks gave Georgian servants a clever mechanical thumb-push to clear out stubborn candle stubs.
Distinctions in quality
Quality rests in the crispness of casting detail and the weight of the metal, where heavier solid brass and thick silver plate indicate superior manufacture.
Proportion and balance define finer examples, particularly in multi-branch candelabras and tall candlesticks where stability and symmetry are paramount.
Barker Ellis
The Classic Candle Holders Glossary
- Candlestick
- A portable holder designed to support a single candle, often featuring a sconce and a drip pan above a stem and base.
- Candelabra
- A branched lighting fixture holding multiple candles simultaneously, sometimes wired later for electricity while retaining its branches.
- Ejector candlestick
- A domestic brass candlestick fitted with an internal mechanism to push out the remaining candle stump.
- Gilt bronze
- Metal cast in bronze and treated with a gold wash or mercury gilding to impart a rich, reflective surface.
- Paktong
- A copper-nickel-zinc alloy resembling silver, used in eighteenth-century pieces for its bright appearance and durability.
Classic Candle Holders: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I date a brass candlestick?
Dating relies on manufacturing methods such as seamed construction, base design, and metal composition. Eighteenth-century examples often feature petal bases or ejector mechanisms, while later Victorian and Edwardian pieces show heavier machine production.
Style indicators like Georgian urn stems or French Empire motifs also help place a piece within its correct historical decade.
Are multi-branch candelabras intended for dining tables?
Larger candelabras with three or five branches were historically placed on sideboards or dining tables to provide ambient lighting during long evenings.
Smaller pairs of candlesticks were more commonly moved between rooms on dressing tables or mantelpieces.
Can antique silver plated candelabras be cleaned?
Gentle cleaning with a specialist silver cloth preserves the remaining plate without removing the underlying metal layers.
Avoid abrasive dips that strip the character and thin the historic silver surface over time.
What is the difference between a sconce and a candlestick?
A sconce is a wall-mounted lighting fixture designed to project light outward from a panel or bracket. Candlesticks are freestanding objects meant to stand securely on flat furniture surfaces.