Silver Stick Stand
A silver stick stand brings a touch of period elegance to a hallway or desk, holding walking canes, umbrellas, or small implements.
Silver Stick Stand
A silver stick stand search encompasses umbrella stands, desktop desk stands, novelty toothpick and cocktail stick holders, and candlesticks incorporating stand elements.
The objects appearing under this description span from the eighteenth century through the Victorian and Edwardian eras into the Art Deco period.
Materials range from sterling silver and silver plate to copper, cast iron, pewter, wood, and nickel.
How they were made
Metals such as sterling silver, silver plate, electroplated nickel silver, copper, and pewter form the core structure of many items, shaped into columns, demi-lune frames, and desktop bases.
Wood, tortoiseshell, horn, cast iron, and cut glass also appear as primary bodies or supporting components in stands and associated candlesticks.
Manufacturing methods involve casting, plating, silver gilding, and carving, particularly in nineteenth and early twentieth-century workshops.
Listings feature items spanning the 18th century, Victorian, Edwardian, and 1930s Art Deco periods.
What varies in quality
The weight of the metal and the thickness of the silver plating or sterling gauge determine the substance and durability of each piece.
The precision of cast details, such as Corinthian columns, decorative divisions, and novelty figures, separates standard production items from finer workshop output.
The condition of underlying materials beneath the silver surface, alongside the integrity of combined elements like glass inserts or wooden bases, influences overall merit.
Mappin & Webb·Sudre·WMF·Barker Ellis·Deakin & Francis·Elkington & Co.·John Collard Vickery
The Silver Stick Stand Glossary
- Demi-lune
- A half-moon shape utilised in the design of umbrella and stick stands to sit flush against a hallway wall.
- Paktong
- A copper-nickel-zinc alloy resembling brass or silver, frequently used for eighteenth-century candlesticks.
- Pricket
- A sharp metal spike on a candlestick or altar-style candle-stick designed to hold a candle in place.
- Chamberstick
- A short portable candlestick fitted with a handle and a shallow pan to catch melting wax.
- Electroplated Nickel Silver
- A base metal of nickel silver coated with a layer of silver through an electrolytic process.
Silver Stick Stand: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a silver stick stand?
A silver stick stand is a furnishing or desktop accessory designed to hold walking sticks, umbrellas, or small items like cocktail sticks and pens.
These pieces utilise silver, silver plate, or metal frames combined with materials such as glass, wood, and horn.
How were these items used historically?
Hallway stands accommodated walking canes and umbrellas for visitors and residents leaving the home.
Desktop versions held pens, stamps, inkwells, and matches alongside a taperstick for sealing letters.
How do I date a silver candlestick or stand?
Dating relies on stylistic markers such as Victorian, Edwardian, or Art Deco forms, alongside any visible hallmarks.
Materials like old Sheffield plate or electroplated nickel silver also help place an object within its nineteenth or twentieth-century period.
Where should I place a stick stand at home?
Umbrella and stick stands suit an entryway, hallway, or porch where they serve an organisational purpose.
Smaller desktop stands, pen wipes, and novelty cocktail stick holders fit well on side tables, desks, or mantelpieces.