Silver Plated Candlestick Set
A silver plated candlestick set brings dining table illumination and period elegance, ranging from intimate chamber sticks to grand matching suites.
Silver Plated Candlestick Set
A silver plated candlestick set comprises matching table lighting designed to hold taper candles securely, frequently found in groupings of four to provide balanced illumination across a dining table or sideboard. These groupings span formal pillar candlesticks, multi-branch candelabra, and low chamber sticks equipped with finger rings and drip pans.
The pieces on this page originate from periods including the Georgian era, the nineteenth century, the Victorian era, and the Edwardian period. Buyers encounter both traditional column forms and elaborate rococo revival designs reflecting distinct historical aesthetics.
Materials and construction
Makers produced these items utilising base metals such as copper and nickel silver, later applying silver through methods like Old Sheffield plating and electroplating. Old Sheffield plate involved fusing a thin layer of silver to a copper core, whilst electroplating deposited silver onto base metals via an electrical current.
Many examples incorporate weighted bases filled with resin, plaster, or wood to provide stability for upright tapers, occasionally paired with glass columns or detachable nozzles designed to catch melting wax.
Many chamber sticks retain their tiny original cone snuffers, surviving centuries of midnight corridor journeys without getting lost in the drawer.
Assessing quality and craftsmanship
Quality in a silver plated candlestick set reveals itself in the crispness of chased ornamentation, the proportion of the base to the stem, and the integrity of the underlying metal plating. Superior sets maintain thick silver layers that resist wear down to the base metal, whilst finer casting preserves deep relief work on rococo scrolls and classical fluting.
Matching completeness strongly influences the standing of a group, particularly when sets comprise four or more uniform pieces retaining their original detachable bobeches and matching maker marks.
Smith and Sissons and Co·Gibbons of Wolverhampton·GR Collis and Co·Barker Ellis·Walker and Hall·James Dixon and Sons·Mappin and Webb
The Silver Plated Candlestick Set Glossary
- Old Sheffield Plate
- An early plating technique created by fusing silver to a copper ingot before rolling them into sheets. This method often reveals thin lines of exposed copper along high edges.
- Electroplated Nickel Silver
- A modern plating process introduced in the nineteenth century using an electric current to bond silver to a nickel brass alloy. This technique provided a durable and uniform silver coating.
- Chamberstick
- A short portable candlestick featuring a wide drip pan and a loop handle for carrying through a house at night. These items frequently included a small conical snuffer resting in the tray.
- Candelabra
- A branched lighting fixture holding multiple candles branching from a central stem. These pieces often convert from single candlesticks by adding matching top branches.
- Bobeche
- A removable collar or ring fitted just below the candle socket to catch dripping wax. It lifts off easily for cleaning.
Silver Plated Candlestick Set: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a silver plated candlestick set?
A silver plated candlestick set consists of matching holders designed for tallow or wax tapers, usually assembled in groups of four to balance a table setting.
These collections range from compact chamber sticks to tall column candlesticks and multi-branched candelabra dating from the Georgian and Victorian eras.
How do I clean my silver plated candlesticks?
Cleaning requires a soft microfiber cloth and a gentle silver polish formulated specifically for plated items to avoid stripping the thin metal layer.
Harsh abrasive dips or vigorous scrubbing will wear away the silver plating and expose the underlying copper or nickel silver base.
Are these candlesticks solid silver?
Most items described as silver plated utilise a base metal such as copper or nickel silver beneath a bonded layer of genuine silver.
Old Sheffield plate employs a fused copper and silver sandwich, whereas electroplated pieces use an electrical current to apply the outer silver coating.
Why are some candlestick bases weighted?
Makers weighted the bases of tall candlesticks with resin, plaster, timber, or pitch to provide essential stability and prevent tipping.
This internal filling adds necessary weight to the bottom since the upper stems and sockets remain relatively light.
How can I date my candlesticks?
Dating relies upon stylistic clues such as neoclassical columns, regency proportions, or ornate Victorian rococo revival casting details.
Maker marks, registration numbers, and plating techniques like Old Sheffield plate versus electroplating also help establish the approximate period of manufacture.