Silver Table Candelabra
These silver table candelabra bring the warm glow of multi-branched candlelight to the dining room, combining functional lighting with striking table ornaments.
Silver Table Candelabra
Silver table candelabra are multi-branched lighting fixtures designed to sit centrally on a dining table or sideboard, featuring removable branches that often convert them back to simple candlesticks. When people search for silver table candelabra, they encounter pieces ranging from two-branch low forms to massive five-light Victorian and Georgian dining table centrepieces.
The selections on this page span from the eighteenth century through the Victorian and Edwardian eras into twentieth-century modernism. George III and Regency examples display neoclassical restraint, while Victorian and Edwardian items often present ornate rococo revival decoration.
Forms include pairs of matching candelabra, individual large table suites, and versatile pieces accompanied by detachable sconces or matching candlesticks. Buyers frequently find silver plate and old Sheffield plate sitting alongside solid sterling silver formations.
Materials and construction
Makers constructed these items using sterling silver, copper-based old Sheffield plate, and later silver plate on nickel or base metals, occasionally incorporating cut glass components. Sterling silver pieces utilise heavy casting and hammering techniques, while plated items rely on fusing silver sheets to copper base metals or electroplating silver onto foundational metal substrates.
Branch construction requires sturdy internal sockets and threaded screws to support multiple heavy candle arms securely without tilting the central stem. Removable sconces slot into the drip pans to catch melting wax, allowing easy cleaning of the primary metal surfaces.
The listings here include materials spanning sterling silver, old Sheffield plate, copper, and standard silver plate across eight distinct periods.
Factors of quality
Quality rests in the crispness of the chased and cast ornamentation, where superior pieces retain sharp relief in floral garlands, scrolls, and gadrooned borders. Lesser examples show softened detail from over-zealous cleaning or thin plating that exposes the base metal underneath.
Structural stability dictates value, as high-grade candelabra stand firmly on weighted bases with tightly fitted, upright branches that do not wobble. Inferior specimens suffer from misaligned arms, loose joints, or poorly repaired fractures in the delicate junctions between stem and socket.
Hawksworth Eyre·Garrard and Co·Matthew Boulton·Smith and Sissons·Elkington·Barker Ellis
The Silver Table Candelabra Glossary
- Candelabrum
- A branched candlestick holding multiple candles on separate arms springing from a central stem. The plural form is candelabra.
- Old Sheffield Plate
- A composite material made by fusing a thin sheet of silver to a thicker copper core before shaping. This technique produced durable wares before the invention of electroplating.
- Sconce
- The detachable nozzle or pan fitted into the top of a candle socket to catch dripping wax. It lifts out independently for cleaning.
- Sterling silver
- An alloy containing a high proportion of pure silver combined with other metals for strength. It bears hallmark stamps indicating origin and standard.
- Silver plate
- A thin layer of silver applied over a base metal such as copper, nickel, or brass. Nineteenth-century innovations introduced electroplating to streamline this process.
Silver Table Candelabra: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean my candelabra safely?
Use a soft cloth and a gentle silver polish formulated specifically for plated or sterling surfaces to preserve the underlying metal. Avoid harsh abrasive cleaners that wear away thin silver plating on older pieces.
Take extra care around chased decoration and soldered joints where old polish can accumulate. Wash away residue with warm soapy water and dry thoroughly with a soft flannel cloth.
Can I convert them to electrical lamps?
While some historical pieces were adapted as rise and fall table lamps, permanent electrical conversion alters the original structure and diminishes collector value. Preserving the original socket fittings maintains the integrity of the piece as a lighting accessory for candles.
If illumination is required without open flames, utilise specialised battery-operated taper candles that fit standard socket diameters safely.
How many candles do they hold?
Most table candelabra support between two and five candles, utilising a central light flanked by matching branch arms. Larger dining table centrepieces frequently feature up to five distinct sconces for grand illumination.
Smaller two-branch low forms suit intimate sideboards, while massive multi-light Victorian examples demand wider table space to balance their visual weight.
What is the difference between old Sheffield plate and silver plate?
Old Sheffield plate is created by physically fusing silver and copper sheets together under heat before rolling them into usable metal plates. This early method leaves a characteristic thin line of visible copper on cut edges.
Standard silver plate utilises an electrochemical process developed in the nineteenth century to deposit a silver coating over a base metal object. Electroplated items generally lack the distinct edge seams found in genuine old Sheffield pieces.